With an influx of students with flu-like symptoms visiting the Health Center, health officials are faced with finding ways to limit the spread of the virus.

As soon as students displaying flu-like symptoms walk in, they are confronted with numerous sanitizing stations to prevent the spread of any bacteria.

Medical Director and Laboratory Director Dr. Mary Bengtson wants students to be completely aware of the symptoms of H1N1 and how to treat it.

Students who are not aware of the symptoms could be at risk of catching H1N1.

“Flu is sometimes diagnosed based on symptoms without any lab test,” Bengtson said.

Depending on the doctor or nurse’s judgement, any one with similar symptoms of H1N1 could be diagnosed as positive or negative.

“There is no guarantee the test will be positive,” Bengtson said. “Even if a person is sick with the flu.”

Some students have comparable symptoms that appear to be H1N1, and are misdiagnosed.

Annie Kilroy, a freshman majoring in psychology, recently visited the Student Health Center. There they supposedly detected swine flu and prompted the student to go home and take over-the-counter drugs.

“They are just telling people they have swine flu and really don’t know,” Kilroy said.

Kilroy said she was told she had swine flu after simply discussing her symptoms with a doctor, having her blood pressure taken and undergoing normal check-up procedures.

“I was told to go home, but I decided to take things into my own hands,” Kilroy said. “I got rest, took medicine and now I feel great.”