Students are not the only ones that have to worry about colds and flu this year. The staff of Thielen Student Health Center works on a daily basis with sick ISU students so it is unavoidable to not get sick themselves.

“It’s inevitable that when we help care for sick people, we will at times be sick ourselves — so far there is nothing out of the ordinary going through the staff,” said Laura Knowles, nursing and patient supervisor at Student Health Center.

The Student Health Center staff have been seeing the usual illnesses that circulate at this time; nothing out of the ordinary.

“We do have a few people just getting over the short-lived upper respiratory illness, but haven’t seen any actual influenza or anything severe at this time,” Knowles said.

Doctors and nurses at the Student Health Center are encouraged to take all the usual precautions that are suggested to everyone during cold and flu season. Hand washing, coughing and sneezing into one’s elbow or a tissue, and staying home while sick is advised.

“We do preach and practice good, thorough hand washing and our staff does that really well,” Knwoles said. “It becomes second nature to health care providers, so that helps us stay as healthy as possible.”

Student Health Center staff members are also advised, just like students, to get their flu shot every year.

“All members of [Student Health Center] are encouraged to get their annual influenza vaccination,” said Tammy Paris-Walker, registered nurse at the Student Health Center.

Health center staffers are not expecting any inconveniences to patients due to doctors or nurses being out sick.

“We have not had enough doctors or nurses out to switch around patients from being sick,” Paris-Walker said. “We do not expect a shortage of nurses over break.”