Influenza at UW: What To Do

Read the FAQs below to learn what you can do to protect yourself and your campus community from the flu, and how to take care of yourself if you do get sick.

Influenza FAQs

What is influenza?
When can people transmit it to others?
What are the symptoms?
What medicines are available to treat it?

Is there a vaccine available?
I didn’t get a flu shot this year. Is it too late?
I had a flu shot this year. So I’m good, right?

What else can I do to decrease my chances of getting sick?
What can I do to help keep my friends, family, and campus community healthy?

How do I know if I have the flu?
I think I have the flu. Should I come to UHS?
How should I take care of myself if I have flu symptoms?
An influenza treatment shopping list
When should a person definitely seek medical treatment for flu?

How long does flu season last?
I’ve been sick before. Why is flu a big deal?
Isn’t flu mostly a problem for senior citizens and babies?
Does UHS give medical excuses if I have to miss class because of the flu?

What is influenza?

Influenza (“the flu”) is a viral illness that is prevalent from November through April. It is a communicable disease that can be transmitted wherever people are in close contact, such as in residence halls, classrooms, offices, and social settings. It is caused by a respiratory virus that is commonly spread when people touch surfaces containing droplets from the nose or throat of infected people and later touch their own eyes, nose, or mouth.

Influenza without complications can best be managed by time and conservative treatment measures and does not require a visit to a clinician. Most people recover fully within seven to ten days.

When can people transmit it to others?

The period of infectiousness is about six days, starting a day before symptoms begin. Children can be infectious for more than ten days. The incubation period (the amount of time between exposure to the virus and the beginning of symptoms) is 24 to 96 hours. Washing hands before touching the eyes, nose, or mouth can help decrease the chance of acquiring influenza.

What are the symptoms?

Influenza produces distinct upper-respiratory and general body symptoms. It typically begins with sudden onset of high fever (above 101°F / 38.3°C), chills, muscle aches, headache, fatigue, and dry cough. Many people also experience a sore throat and runny nose. Although loss of appetite may occur, the influenza virus does not usually cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea. The most severe symptoms usually improve after two to five days, but may last up to a week. Cough and fatigue may persist for several weeks. Most people are able to return to work and class after five to seven days.

What medicines are available to treat it?

Because viruses cannot be destroyed by antibiotics, treatment with antibiotic medication is ineffective in the treatment of influenza. Some antiviral medications may be effective against some strains of influenza. These medications do not cure influenza, but can reduce the duration of symptoms by about one day when taken within the first 48 hours after onset of symptoms. Many patients choose not to take antiviral medications due to their limited effectiveness, cost, and side effects.

How should I take care of myself if I have flu symptoms?
An influenza treatment shopping list?

Is there a vaccine available?

There is a vaccine, and UHS gives free flu shots to enrolled students starting in October every year. Flu shots are recommended to anyone who wishes to reduce their risk of contracting the flu, but are especially recommended for children, people older than age 50, or those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, have chronic medical conditions such as asthma or diabetes, have a weakened immune system, or who work or live with anyone in these high-risk groups.

Influenza is caused by two major classifications of viruses, influenza A and influenza B. The strains of these viruses change from year to year. Therefore, people who have had the flu or who have received a flu shot in previous years may become ill with a new strain.

The U.S. Public Health Service monitors influenza activity and predicts viral strains that can be expected each year. The influenza vaccine components are based on these predictions. The effectiveness of flu shots varies each year based on the match between the vaccine and each year’s viruses. Even when the vaccine is not a good match, it can still protect enough to make illness milder and prevent flu-related complications, but no influenza vaccine provides a 100 percent guarantee against getting the flu.

I didn’t get a flu shot. Is it too late?

No, it’s not. UHS gives free flu shots to enrolled students starting in October every year (and to eligible spouses/domestic partners who have paid the health fee). The vaccine is not immediately protective; the body needs time to build up a response, so it is best to get vaccinated early in the season. Call 608-265-5600 for an appointment.

I had a flu shot this year. So I’m good, right?

Flu shots are one of the most effective means of decreasing your chances of getting the flu. But they are not 100 percent protective against influenza, and they do not protect at all against other respiratory viruses that cause influenza-type illnesses. So you should take health precautions like everybody else.

What else can I do to decrease my chances of getting sick?

Wash your hands frequently throughout the day. Flu viruses can stay viable for a long time on the relatively warm, moist environment of the hands, where they are easily spread from one person to another.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth and introducing germs that may be on your hands from surfaces others have touched.
Be extra-vigilant about washing your hands if you smoke or bite your nails, both of which can directly introduce germs from your hands into your mouth.
Rest. To survive the cold and flu season, don’t skimp on sleep. The body needs time to recharge, and a lack of sleep can weaken your immune system and make it harder to fight off germs you come in contact with. It may seem like you’re too busy to get more sleep, but consider how much productivity you’ll lose if the flu knocks you out for a week or more.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If you’re the one who’s sick, keep a distance from others so as not to spread germs.
Practice other good habits: Be physically active, manage stress, drink plenty of water, and eat nutritious food.

What can I do to help keep my friends, family, and campus community healthy?

If you get the flu, if possible, stay home from work and classes to avoid spreading the virus.
Don’t share thermometers.
Always cover a cough or sneeze.
Carry a pack of tissues to cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
If you cough or sneeze into your hands, wash them promptly and thoroughly in warm, soapy water, or use an alcohol-based gel.
Try to get the hang of coughing or sneezing into your elbow or bicep instead of your palms. It’s harder for viruses to persist and spread from your sleeve than from your hands. It seems unusual at first, but it can quickly become just as routine as using your palms.

How do I know if I have the flu?

Influenza produces distinct upper-respiratory and general body symptoms. It typically begins with sudden onset of high fever (above 101°F / 38.3°C), chills, muscle aches, headache, fatigue, and dry cough. Many people also experience a sore throat and runny nose. Although loss of appetite may occur, the influenza virus does not usually cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea. Severe symptoms usually last three to seven days, but cough and fatigue may persist for several weeks.

Compared with a bad cold, flu usually comes on more suddenly. It is more likely to include fever, body aches, and extreme tiredness and weakness. With a cold, your major symptoms are more likely to be stuffiness, sneezing, and/or a hacking cough.

Although only a laboratory test can determine absolutely whether your illness is caused by a strain of influenza virus or another respiratory virus. During flu season, clinicians diagnose flu not by a laboratory test, but based on a typical set of signs and symptoms. Early in flu season or if the diagnosis is in doubt, they may perform a flu test.

I think I have the flu. Should I come to UHS?

If you have concerns about your symptoms, you may call UHS and ask to speak with “nurse triage.” If you have had symptoms for 48 hours or more and do not have any complications, there is very little you can do besides rest as much as possible, treat your symptoms with fluids and pain relievers (acetaminophen or ibuprofen), and wait it out. The most severe symptoms usually improve after two to five days, but may last up to a week. Cough and fatigue may persist for several weeks. Most people are able to return to work and class after five to seven days.

How should I take care of myself if I have flu-like symptoms?

Get as much bed rest as possible.
Keep drinking fluids—at least two to three liters of fluid every 24 hours while symptoms last.
Monitor your temperature and keep your fever down with acetaminophen or ibuprofen (use according to label directions). If symptoms are severe, alternate acetaminophen (650 mg) and ibuprofen (400 mg) every two hours.
Those pain relievers should also help if you’re having headache or body aches.
If you’re under the age of 19, do not use aspirin, to avoid the risk of Reye’s syndrome.
A lukewarm bath or shower can help reduce fever.
A vaporizer or humidifier can make your nose, throat, and chest feel better by adding moisture to the air.
A dry cough often responds to hot tea, or honey and/or lemon juice in hot water.
Don’t overdress. Wear only enough clothing to not to be chilled.
Don’t smoke. Smoking irritates inflamed nasal passages and irritates the cilia, which clear mucus from the lungs.

An influenza treatment shopping list

You may need a few things from the drugstore or grocery store to help you treat your symptoms. If a friend can go get them for you, all the better. Just be sure that you both observe health precautions and try not to spread the virus to your friend; most people are infectious for about six days.

A thermometer if you don’t have one, to monitor your fever—to avoid spreading disease, do not borrow or share thermometers.
Juices or sports drinks, if you think those will encourage you to consume more fluids than water alone; avoid caffeinated drinks.
Acetaminophen (brand names include Tylenol; generic brands are fine) and/or ibuprofen (brand names include Advil, Motrin, and Nuprin; generics are fine) and/or naproxen (brands include Aleve; generics are fine).
If you’re under the age of 19, do not use aspirin, to avoid the risk of Reye’s syndrome.
Avoid multi-symptom remedies, which often contain unneeded medication or contain doses of specific ingredients which may be too low to be effective.
If you have a sore throat, try non-prescription throat lozenges that numb the back of the throat.

When should a person definitely seek medical treatment?

Influenza without complications can best be managed by time and conservative treatment measures and does not require a visit to a clinician. Most people recover fully within seven to ten days.

But if you are unable to drink fluids and are becoming dehydrated; have a persistent fever (102°F / 38.8°C, or higher) that does not respond to aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen; or experience difficulty breathing you should see a clinician.

In addition, if your symptoms do not improve at all after a week, or if rare complications develop, including the following, you should be evaluated by a clinician:

ear infection, characterized by significant ear pain, fever, or decreased hearing
sinusitis, which produces facial pain lasting longer that one week or yellow-green or dark cloudy nasal discharge
pneumonia, characterized by chest pain; shortness or breath; cough productive of dark green, brown, or bloody sputum
fever over 102°F (38.8°C) unresponsive to aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen use or lasting longer than 72 hours

How long does flu season last?

The influenza virus is generally in circulation from November through April. Other respiratory viruses are also common at this time and may produce influenza-like illnesses.

I’ve been sick before. Why is the flu a big deal?

With its painful muscle aches, fever, and profound and lasting fatigue, influenza can be an extremely uncomfortable and debilitating illness, even without complications. In addition to making you feel really lousy, it can undermine your academic productivity and ability to go to work, keep you from doing things you enjoy, and leave you playing catch-up for quite a while.

Isn’t the flu mostly a problem for senior citizens and babies?

The flu spreads most easily among people who live, work, and play near other people, such as in residence halls, classrooms, and crowded social settings. It’s true that serious or fatal complications are most common in senior citizens, small children, and people with compromised immune systems. But anyone of any age can get sick with it and suffer from the symptoms.

A study at the University of Minnesota a few years ago found that over one third of college students in a given academic year had experienced an influenza-like illness. Students who got sick reported that their illness resulted in missing class and work, poor performance on tests and assignments, and needing to seek health care.

I have to miss class because of the flu. Does UHS give medical excuses?

Students should communicate promptly with their individual professors if they have to miss class due to illness. UHS does not give medical excuses. This policy resembles those of many other major universities; it is consistent with the recommendations of the American College Health Association and is supported by the UW-Madison Dean of Students. Read more »