Have any of you been feeling under the weather lately? Worried it’s COVID?
Don’t worry, we’ve prepped for this.
Freshers flu is still a thing. During September, so many students congregate together from all around the world that colds and flus are bound to spread around. Even if you don’t attend events, you may find yourself feeling a little more sluggish than normal – and we want to reassure you that this is perfectly fine.
We understand that with the way the world is currently, a sniffly nose, a sore throat, or even feeling low can make you worry or panic that it might be the worst but remain calm. We’ve created some tips and advice on what to do if you start to find yourself feeling unwell. If you suspect you may have Covid, it’s important to not panic and first and foremost remember the government guidelines and guidance. Stay at home, stay safe, and communicate. So what is Freshers flu, and how do you know it’s not Covid?
Well Freshers flu isn't really a form of flu at all. It's more like a bad cold, although this doesn't take away from the fact it can make you feel really rubbish for a week or so.
Just to get a bit science-y for a second, the dreaded illness is a mixture of physical and psychological factors, which together batter away at your immune system and make you feel rotten.
Contrary to popular belief, you won't just be vulnerable to Freshers' flu if you meet lots of new people. Freshers' flu is normally caused by a combination of a few different things, including: Lack of sleep, Eating junk food, Alcohol, and even stress.
Symptoms of Freshers flu can include: Shivering, Fevers, Dry Cough, Sneezing, Headaches, and grogginess.
Whilst a lot of these symptoms can sound like COVID, the NHS have specified the following symptoms:
A high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
A new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.
In summary…
"With a common cold less of the body is affected with symptoms focused on the mouth and nose; with the flu – you would expect the body as a whole to mainly be affected; with Covid, the persistent fever, dry cough and specific features like the loss in taste or smell can suggest this may be the cause."
Please do not let your surrounding cause you panic, take a deep breath, review what your symptoms are. If you feel feverish, check your temperature, and please make sure that you are signed up to your local GP to reduce any panic.
Remember – if you are showing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 to get tested as soon as possible. More information about testing whilst studying at University can be found here: If you think you have COVID-19 (brighton.ac.uk)
Have any questions or need further information? Contact our BSU Support Team who will be able to provide you with more resources, information and support: BSUSupport@brighton.ac.uk