There is no stopping for H1N1 (aka swine flu) fury spreading across the university campus. Few days ago, I have heard that one person from our GISCE department has been infected by the H1N1 virus. He went to the Health Center for check-up and was confirmed positive of the deadly flu strain. It is more likely that in the coming days more cases will be spotted.

Many people from the center are also getting sick. It may just be a regular flu and not H1N1, but it is just scary to hear people sneezing and coughing all the time because you really don’t know what the sickness is.

Students of South Dakota State University should be wary about this. You could be seated beside someone in class who constantly sneezes and coughs. Should you cover your nose or mouth to avoid taking in the “contaminated” air?

The H1N1 vaccine is very limited in supply and may not be available for everyone in Brookings, South Dakota for now. The first batches of the vaccine go to those who badly need them — the children, elderly and those with chronic problems. So if you are a healthy middle-age student, you have to wait for a while to get your H1N1 shot.

What everyone can do for now is to stay healthy. While waiting for the vaccine, stay away from too crowded places if possible. Use a hand sanitizer every now and then. And for those who are sick, please stay home.

Drink plenty of fruit juices. In my country, the government encourages the people to drink more key lime juices, which is very common in the community and grows everywhere. It is a way of boosting the immune system through vitamin C intake.

The H1N1 scare is here to stay.