Students who have been going to Dick's House complaining of flu-like symptoms,such as fevers, sore throats and coughs may not necessarily have the flu, according to Dr. John Turco, Dick's House health service director.
These students are suffering from numerous upper respiratory infections, which are not necessarily caused by the influenza virus, Turco said.
Turco said he could not be sure if students actually have the flu without doing a blood test, but he said the treatment for all viral upper respiratory infections is basically the same.
College students are hardy enough to recover from the flu within a week, Turco said.
The viral symptoms students are experiencing can be treated by Tylenol, cough suppressants, decongestants and plenty of fluids, he added.
Students can find such medication at vending machines that are open 24 hours, called Downstairs at Dick's House. The medicine costs a small fee which they can charge to their student identification cards, Turco said.
Students who took flu shots in the fall are protected 70 to 80 percent from three different strains of influenza, but are still susceptible to other viruses, Turco said.
Flu shots are recommended for the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, as the virus can be very dangerous and even fatal for them. The shot is not essential for healthy college students, Turco said.
Although medical publications say the nation will experience a bad flu season this year, it will not be possible to know whether the virus has affected more students than in past years until the end of March, when the virus becomes less prevalent, Turco said.
New Hampshire is one of only four states in the nation that has not had an outbreak of influenza in the past month, according to a recent news report, Turco said.
