We’re all going to die!

OK, maybe not, but fear is sweeping through the United States and the world this fall, which includes college campuses, with talk of the H1N1 flu virus.

The university is preparing in case an outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus hits Baker’s campus. Ruth Sarna, director of student health services, sent an e-mail to everyone on campus to make students and faculty aware of the flu possibility.

Sarna said in the e-mail that Baker has a Pandemic Flu Assessment Team, with representation from many departments including Student Development, Human Resources and Administration, which has been in place since 2006, and is focusing on the H1N1 virus.<br/>Professors have also stressed to students about staying home and not to come to class should they develop flu-like symptoms.Professors have also stressed to students about staying home and not to come to class should they develop flu-like symptoms.
Professors have also stressed to students about staying home and not to come to class should they develop flu-like symptoms.

The worst thing that could happen is for an outbreak to occur on campus and the university not having a plan or not knowing how to proceed. So, the fact that this issue is getting attention before a case has been found is a good step, and having a plan in place will be crucial.

However, with a growing threat comes growing fear. With every cough comes nervousness that the cough is in fact a symptom of the swine flu.

In the e-mail, Sarna said “this particular strain does seem to occur more frequently in young adults and children.”

Right now fear of the H1N1 flu virus is probably not running students’ lives, but if Baker would be unfortunate enough to have a case of the virus on campus, who knows what kind of reaction it would bring.

The best possibility is that a H1N1 virus prevention plan is created, but not used, and no one has to answer the question of ‘What happened when the swine flu came to Baker's campus?'<br/>