COVID-19 continues to dominate health concerns at Salisbury University.
However, there are other diseases SU students should be aware of during the pandemic.
Flu season coincides with the arrival of fall and winter, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Before COVID, catching the flu on campus was a common annoyance on college campuses. “Close living quarters, shared restrooms and a lot of social activities make a college student more likely to catch the flu,” according to MedlinePlus.
Recent evidence suggests it is possible to catch COVID-19 and the flu simultaneously.
Each disease can lead to pneumonia, fluid in the lungs, respiratory failure, sepsis or cardiac injury. Combined, they could “increase the risk of longer-term effects of any of those organ systems,” according to Cable News Network Health.
Despite the risk, it is not easy for SU students to stay home with flu or COVID symptoms. SU does not currently require faculty to provide medical accommodations for students, as previously reported by The Flyer.
How can students avoid this twin-demic?
Receive vaccines for COVID-19 and the flu. While neither are cures, both significantly “help our immune system fight future infections,” according to the Washington State Department of Health.
Students should be mindful of their health beyond washing hands, wearing masks and using hand sanitizer.
“Sleep loss is also related to a higher risk for infection,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Current health protocols for COVID and the flu help defend against infection. However, there is a real risk for both diseases to simultaneously break these defenses.
Students already fighting the flu could face COVID’s wrath if they do not monitor their health and immune system.
By JACOB BEAVER
Editorial editor
Featured photo courtesy of Salisbury University Public Relations