People around the country have been bracing for a winter filled with sickness because of this year’s shortage of influenza vaccinations.

But until recently, Ohio had hardly seen any influenza activity.

The DeWeese Health Center diagnosed its first case of influenza for the year on Jan. 20 and has had a steady increase of cases since then.

Still, only select areas of Ohio had influenza cases as of Feb. 12, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. Ohio and Alabama are the only remaining states the CDC designated at a “local activity” level.

“It’s gonna hit; it’s just a matter of how bad,” said Rosemary Ferraro, a nurse at the Portage County Health Department. “We’ve so far only had one flu case, so if it’s coming, it’ll probably be in the next few weeks.”

Typically, the influenza season comes much earlier than February.

“This time last year, the flu season was already over,” Ferraro said, and the influenza season came before Christmas last year.

Nick Sukalac, coordinator of university health services information, said via e-mail that 38 of the influenza cases diagnosed at the Health Center in the 2003-2004 school year occurred in December 2003.

Sukalac said this school year, the Health Center has diagnosed 64 total cases of influenza as of last week. Six of those cases came the week beginning Jan. 24, seven from the week beginning Jan. 31, 16 cases in the week beginning Feb. 7 and 32 diagnoses last week.

But some people say although they feel sick, they won’t seek treatment.

“I had a fever for about a week,” said Ryan Pochedly, freshman marketing major. “I was coughing a lot and had regular flu-like symptoms. I was gonna go to the Health Center, but it was all full so I decided not to go anywhere.”

Lori Christopher, nursing manager at DeWeese Health Center, said those who have the flu can relieve symptoms by using over-the-counter medication such as fever reducers. She added no medication exists to get rid of the flu once someone has had it for more than two days.

“It’s self-limiting, so your body has to care of it on its own,” Christopher said. “The CDC does recommend to college students that they should stay home, and they shouldn’t try to expose any others.”

To prevent influenza, Christopher said the Health Center now has influenza vaccinations available to anyone, and the cost of the vaccine is $20.

“After the CDC recommended to take away the restrictions, we’ve opened it up to anyone who wants to get the vaccine,” Christopher said.

Christopher added other ways people can prevent spreading illness is by washing their hands before touching their eyes, nose or mouth, and by covering their mouths when coughing or sneezing.

Contact medicine reporter Kim Thompson at [email protected].