The flu season is predicted to be bad and is already here, and with finals, students need to take care of their bodies to prevent illness, the medical director of health services said.

Sheila Baker, the medical director for Health Services, said during finals, students do not take care of their immune systems.

“In general, things that depress or suppress your immune system put you at risk for catching things that you are exposed to,” Baker said.

When students stay up late to cram for a final or do not get the proper nutrition, the body is weaker and cannot fight off the viruses or disease that invade it, Baker said.

Before finals, Baker said it is also likely to participate in other habits that will weaken the body’s defense mechanisms.

“Those things include alcohol, tobacco and of course, illegal substances,” Baker said.

Baker said there are some common-sense issues that will hurt the immune system.

“Staying up all night, trying to drink too much caffeine, which doesn’t help—it makes you think you are helping yourself,” Baker said.

Some simple actions students can do, even when their immune system is already weaken, is to help them stay healthy include multivitamins, proper hydration and exercise, Baker said.

“Medicate or just chill, and do something that takes your mind off of things,” Baker said.

She said students should also wash their hands regularly and avoid sharing items with other people like cups, drinks and dishes.

“Those environments usually involve moist, wet surfaces and most of the time body fluids, like from peoples’ nose or mouth,” Baker said.

An example of sharing is using a towel after someone with a cold. If they clean their face, something from their nose could be on it and the fluids get on the others hands and the illness is spread, Baker said.

Avoiding contact with ill people will also decrease the amount of illness that is spread.

“Keeping some personal space so you are either not exposing people when you are sick or you are staying away from people who are,” Baker said.

Immunizations are also important to stay healthy, and students should know the symptoms of each illness, Baker said.

“The flu, already is in the United States, seems to be increasing and spreading faster than it has in past years,” Baker said. “It is getting an early start, and we seem to see more cases than we usually see this early in the season compared to other years.”

Baker said cases of the flu have been reported on campus, but they have not seen an epidemic. She said it could be because Illinois has only seen some local areas with the virus.

People are closer to others during the winter, and that is why the virus passes so much, she said.

“The weather gets colder; people spend more time indoors,” she said. “We have those overcrowding issues, and people tend to spread things more easily.”

She said it increases during finals week because the students are trying to relax with friends the weekend before finals.

The winter, plus doing unhealthy activities, helps spread more illness.

“They are partying with their friends for the last time before everyone goes home, so there is more alcohol that suppresses their immunes system—they are staying awake, not getting proper rest,” Baker said.

For more information about illnesses, visit the Health Services website.

Samantha McDaniel can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].