The annual flu season is in full force, and with over two thousand people in the building everyday, students and staff have a high chance of being exposed to the virus.

WTV’S Wade Glove has the story.

The influenza virus, more commonly referred to as the flu, has a season every year where outbreaks of the virus are more common. This year is no exception.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Texas, and 46 other states, are currently experiencing widespread flu outbreaks.

Texas is also listed in the highest outbreak category for flu activity. but there are ways to lessen your chances of contracting the virus.

“One way that we can protect ourselves against the spread of the flu is by using what we call universal precautions, which is washing your hands and protecting yourself against the things that you touch, and that’s how we spread it to ourselves,” school nurse Emily Mikeska said. “And then also if you are watching who your around, always cover your sneeze and cover your cough in your sleeve to prevent the spread.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone six months or older takes an annual flu shot.

However, many students on campus did not take advantage of it as Wingspan surveyed 600 students on campus, and only 162, or 27 percent, had taken the flu shot.

“Getting the flu shot can help you in that,” Mikeska said. “It’s never guaranteed that you won’t get the flu but hopefully it may help protect you from certain strains and there’s all different kinds out there so hopefully your flu symptoms may not be so bad and maybe you can just have a milder case of it and get through it pretty quickly but sometimes the flu shots can prevent you from getting the flu.”

There is also an alternative to the flu shot called the flu mist, but some doctors have warned against the mist for this flu season as it does not protect against as many strains as the flu shot.

“The other shot is an actual injection that goes into your arm and it supposedly covers a little bit more,” Mikeska said. “They actually this year recommended not taking the flu mist, that it was apparently not being as effective with coverage for the flu.”