Pocono News Section

Bucknell Preps for Swine Flu

Bucknell Preps for Swine Flu - Thursday, September 3, 2009 at 5:34PM EST

Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Thursday, Sep 3, 2009 @ 05:34pm EST
Lewisburg, Union County-

In the midst of the second week of classes at Bucknell, there have been no reports of swine flu at the university. But that's not stopping officials here from taking precautions.

Tory Waterman, a sophomore from Connecticut, noted, "Our R. A.'s talked to us about it. They put little pieces of paper on our doors reminding us to wash our hands. So I think they're doing a really good job of making sure this doesn't spread."

Hand sanitizing posts are set up in 125 different spots around Bucknell's campus, silently urging students and faculty to clean their hands wherever they go. It's all in an effort to make sure swine flu doesn't show up here.

Lauren Stentz, a sophomore from Maryland, said, "Rumor has it that if you get swine flu you have to be quarantined for five days, wear a mask if you have to go out of your room. So I mean that seems a bit extreme, but then, we are a campus, and people are living in really close quarters."

The university has also added links on its website where students can learn more about the virus and its symptoms.

Bucknell Vice President of Communications Pete Mackey explained, "It's got a lot of helpful information there about prevention as well as links to some very useful sights including the C. D.C., the PA Department of Health, and information from Geisinger."

And while officials are urging caution, students here hope it's much ado about nothing. Waterman noted, "None of my friends personally have it, so I'm not really that scared by it."

Stentz added, "Right now it might just be all hype, but then again, if 20% of the students on campus get it, we're going to be so glad that we have all these programs in place.”

Eyewitness News has just learned a first confirmed case of swine flu has been reported at Bloomsburg University. And there has been one reported case just a few miles away at Susquehanna University.