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By Sherry F. Pruitt

JONESBORO — Lisa Shefelton has been the Arkansas State University Student Health Center director for three cold and flu seasons, and this is the worst time she’s seen for type A influenza on the ASU campus.

Type A influenza is worse than type B or type C. Types A and B cause the majority of the symptoms, with type C causing a mild illness, she said.

“Type A is very contagious; it spreads very easily,” she said. “Type B is not spread as easily.”

Type A also is capable of changing. Its ability to “drift” can cause epidemics, and its ability to “shift,” along with other characteristics, enables the strain to be more destructive and the source of pandemics, according to literature provided by the center.

In an effort to protect ASU Health Center patients waiting to see nurse practitioners at the center, Shefelton requires waiting patients to put on a mask that covers their mouth if they have fever.

“Everyone who calls and says they have a high fever are given a masks when they come in,” she said. “If they are diagnosed with influenza A, we encourage them to leave it on at the pharmacy.”

Often, she said, students are in Jonesboro on their own and do not have anyone who can pick up their medicine at the pharmacy.

“They have to get their own prescriptions,” she said.

In Japan sick people often will wear face masks in public “as a common courtesy” to others with whom they come in contact, she said.

Protecting the vulnerable

Protecting vulnerable people, such as cancer patients, diabetics, asthmatics, children and infants, is the director’s goal. In fact, Shefelton issued a mass e-mail message to ASU students asking them not to bring children and infants into the center if they are not ill.

The notice, dated Wednesday, says, “Due to the increased amount of students being diagnosed with influenza A on a daily basis, we are asking that you please do not bring any infants or children to the health center lobby area. Influenza A is highly contagious, and we make this request for their safety. Influenza can be deadly to small children, people with a decreased immune system and the elderly.”

Many bring relatives

During the past few weeks when sick patients have come in, many have brought relatives — 2-, 3- or 4-year-old cousins or their own infants along. The children touch the surfaces where the influenza-infected patients have been, causing germs to be passed along to the healthy youngsters.

“Influenza can survive on surfaces. Influenza can kill. That’s what people fail to realize. Influenza can be fatal,” she emphasized. “You don’t want to be exposed to influenza A. You do not bring them along if they are not ill.”

The flu vaccine is the best protection against influenza, Shefelton added. And for people who fear shots, a mist sprayed on each nostril is also available.

Wash your hands

In addition to receiving a flu shot, Shefelton’s best recommendation against catching the flu is “frequent handwashing.”

“If you do have fever, don’t go to work and don’t go to class,” she said. “See your health care provider.”

The director said up to 60 patients a day are being seen at the student health center, and of them, 10 to 15 per day are diagnosed with influenza A.

Their symptoms include high fever, sore throat and cough.

“Thirty-six thousand people die every year of influenza, and 200,000 end up hospitalized. It’s the secondary symptoms we get concerned with. Lots of times they end up with dehydration and pneumonia,” Shefelton said. “If you are ill and have fever, you don’t need to be out.”

Shefelton also recommended using hand sanitizers, which are used in workplaces and in public places.

“If you suspect anything, we don’t want you infecting not only the people in our lobby, but also in the community,” she said.

sherry@jonesborosun.com