Michigan is currently in the mist of an Influenza outbreak.
According to the Influenza-like Illness Outpatient Surveillance Network (ILINet), the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), reported that Michigan’s ILI activity is at 4.0%, which is more than double its regional baseline of 1.9%.
The number of students on Albion’s campus coming down with flu symptoms and not coming to class as a result of this current outbreak has had a negative effect on classroom attendance.
“It is hard to teach classes when sometimes half of the class is missing,” said art history professor Dr. Billie Wickre.
The poor class attendance has had a larger adverse effect on courses with smaller class sizes.
“In my music class, since there is only six of us any two people missing made a big difference,” said Brennan Haley, a sophomore from Ann Arbor.
To respond to the growing number of students succumbing to the flu and flu-like illnesses on Albion’s campus, Health Services and Student Development are coordinating with Oaklawn Clinic and the Calhoun County Health Department.
“We need to rely on the Oaklawn Clinic and the Health Department to assist with the assessment of the number of ill students they are seeing from campus,” said Director of Student Health, Cheryl Krause. “In addition, we have reached out to the residence hall directors, the faculty and human resources to help in assessing the number of students, staff and faculty affected by the flu.”
Though the impact varies, Health Services usually expects flu outbreaks this time of year.
“Flu is always around at this time of year in Michigan,” said Krause. “We expect to see it.”
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