By Lauren Felechner
Daily Titan Staff Writer

In April of this year, the H1N1 virus was first detected in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Graphic courtesy of MCT.

The virus is now considered an epidemic and people of all ages are being affected by the virus. The virus is very similar to the seasonal flu in comparison with the symptoms it showcases – a fever, cough, sore throat, runny and/or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue are the typical signs of an onset of the H1N1 virus. However, the H1N1 virus is capable in progressing to much worse scenarios, such as pneumonia, and in some cases, even death, according to the CDC.

Cassandra Lewis, 22, believes she contracted the virus at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, where she attends school.

“I think students just have to be really careful because we are in constant contact with others and touching everything. It’s gross,” she said.

Lewis said her symptoms resulted in a feeling of her “drowning in her own lungs.”

“I didn’t plan on getting vaccinated, because I didn’t think I would catch it,” Lewis said. “But after getting it, I don’t think I can stress enough how important it is.”

Morgan Strain, a 22 year-old business major at Cal State Pomona, has dodged being infected so far, but agrees with Lewis on the importance of vaccination.

“I know there are a lot of schools that may have the vaccination at all times or may have just a one-day event, and I think that’s something students and faculty should take advantage of, and the nearby public if applicable,” Strain said.

Although Lewis was lucky in the fact that the virus did not progress, she said it was “nerve-wracking” due to the fact that she has asthma.

According to the CDC, those with asthma along with people who suffer from other chronic medical conditions are considered “high risk” for the H1N1 virus. Other high risk groups are those above 65 years of age, below 5 years of age and pregnant women.

Portia Moss, 26, a manager at a hair salon in Tustin, tries to avoid getting sick at all costs.

“When one person gets sick at our work, everyone gets sick. Swine flu does not need to be circulating at the workplace,” Moss said.

Moss, who has Kaiser Permanente as her healthcare provider, explained that she went to Kaiser for an annual doctor’s visit and was informed that Kaiser had run out of the vaccine.

“It is obviously in high demand and it was just sad because people were just waiting around for so long and were eventually declined of what they came for,” Moss said.

Moss and Strain both plan on becoming vaccinated just because they can “never be too careful.”

To avoid infection, the CDC advises those who are in constant contact with others to wash their hands thoroughly and dry them with paper towels rather than cloth towels, to avoid spread of infection, and to cover their mouth at the elbow when sneezing or coughing.