With the colder season, it often brings in more sicknesses. One of the most prominent illnesses being influenza. The flu is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus, which can lead to serious health complications.
Much like with COVID-19, there are different strands of the flu which can prolong the sickness or cause a multitude of harmful symptoms. The most popular strand within the last five years has been Influenza A with over 88.8% of people catching that strand. However, In 2024-2025 the strand, Subclade K, was reported in 90% of cases — having harsher symptoms like body aches, high fever and even prolonged fatigue.
In 2026, a new strand of the flu, called H3N2 Subclade K, was found. The symptoms are quite severe with fever, sore throat, extreme muscle tenderness, and sometimes yellow vomiting.
Parkland’s Wellness Center
The wellness center at parkland has a variety of different functions with its main priority being a center for information and resources to students. The wellness center, located in the U-wing, has a meditation space, health clinic, lactation rooms for new moms, and alcohol/drug support groups.
The wellness center also has a multitude of different resources that students can access to receive assistance. On the Parkland website, under the Wellness section, there are links providing information about local clinics and their services, mental health resources, nutrition information, and smoking cessation resources.
These resources and services are valuable not only for the plethora of information they provide, but also due to the constant exposure to the germs that swarm college campuses. With many students being from out of town, the introduction of new germs makes it easy to get sick. With the different resources available, students have support to prevent sickness, and know what to do when sick.
How can the flu be prevented?
While medicine can not completely eradicate the flu due to it being a virus, there are a multitude of different ways to mild the sickness and or prevent getting sick.
Celeste Miller, Parkland’s wellness center representative, gives some tips on how to stay conscious about health and take preventative care. Miller highlights that while “over-the-counter medications may help reduce fever, body aches and congestion” … “rest is one of the most important remedies.” Miller’s last suggestions were to get a humidifier, take warm showers, and drink warm fluids, which can help soothe congestion.
Miller notes that after contracting the flu a handful of times, she found that getting the vaccine and listening to her body is what led to a healthy recovery. She expressed that when under the weather, it was harder for her to keep up with daily activities since then she has learned to just slow down and rest.
Kalayah Williams, a local high school student with asthma, had flu type B which seriously attacks the respiratory system, but much like flu A, type B is less prone to rapid mutation. When asked about her experience, Williams says “I could not move, I was coughing up mucus, I didn’t want to eat, my nose was stuffy, along with body sores.”
Williams noted that it can be very hard to treat being sick due to low respiratory health. To soothe her symptoms she recounts taking “cold and flu, musanex, and allergy medicine, along with my inhaler every couple of hours.” These medications can be useful for people that also have respiratory casualties. These are some examples of what worked for them, to find out different ways to stay safe when sick visit parklands wellness center to learn more helpful information.
During this flu season, it is important that preventative measures and care are taken. With college campuses being a breeding ground for bacteria and illnesses, it is important to be in the know of the community resources. The majority of pharmacies in the CU area provide flu vaccines that people should aim to receive before flu season begins, and while the Parkland campus does not provide it directly, they are partnered with Champaign-Urbana Public Health District to provide resources to students and staff.
