DW THE DAILY WILDCAT WHAT’S INSIDE
NEWS: The UA
expands to downtown, p. 2
ARTS & LIFE: We
braved the latest horror film,‘The Witch,’ and it delivered, p. 8
OPINIONS:
Retroactive diplomas will only hurt those who truly earned them, p. 11
SPORTS:
IT’S FLU SEASON MONDAY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2223, 2016 | DAILYWILDCAT.COM |
With Arizona being a hot spot for the flu, UA doctors explain how you can reduce the risk
.
/DAILYWILDCAT
ARE YOU FEELING OKAY?
YES
NO
BY AVA GARCIA
The Daily Wildcat
The influenza virus is now considered to be widespread in Arizona and is especially prevalent in the Tucson community. The term widespread, which is the most severe rating, is calculated by the amount of newly infected patients compared to the population of the demographic area. This level of flu, however, happens almost every year, according to Dr. Sean Elliott, the director of the pediatric residency program, who specializes in infectious disease for Banner – Health University Medical Center. The thing that is different this year is the timing. This level of the flu usually occurs about four weeks earlier in the year. “There’s normal seasonal variation, but because it has been so warm—not just in Arizona, but also other parts of the country—it seems like the flu season might have been delayed,” Elliott said. Arizona is the highest-ranked state with incidents of flu activity as of the week of Feb. 14, according to the Walgreens Flu Index. The index is based on data collected about retail prescriptions for antiviral medications that can be used to treat the flu. The information comes from Walgreens locations around the country. According to the same flu index, Tucson is ranked fourth in the country as a top area for flu activity. During the week of Jan. 31 to Feb. 6, there were 1,051 laboratory-confirmed cases of the flu reported throughout 14 counties in Arizona, according to the Arizona Department of Health
FLU, 3
GymCat Kennady Schneider concludes every floor routine with a different dance move, p. 13
DAILYWILDCAT |
Do you have a fever over 102o F?
NO
Have you gotten a flu shot?
YES
YES
You probably have the flu
CDC SURVIVAL GUIDE NO
Get a flu vaccine Take preventative action to stop the spread of germs
Congrats, you’re probably not sick
Go see your doctor
Take doctorprescribed antiviral drugs
Experience a virtual concussion BY MACKENZIE BOULTER The Daily Wildcat
Challenged by the NCAA, the U.S. Department of Defense and its Mind Matters Challenge, a team of UA researchers and athletes teamed up to improve the safety and behavioral responses of sport-related concussions. The researchers, including UA
football player Jason Sweet, created BrainGainz, a virtual reality app that allows athletes to experience the symptoms of a concussion firsthand. According to Ricardo Valerdi, an associate professor of systems and industrial engineering at the UA, BrainGainz received a monetary reward of $100,000 for its success in the Mind Matters Challenge, which
enabled the creators to generate the prototype for the virtual reality app. On Feb. 5, the prototype was showcased for the NCAA in Indianapolis. “They absolutely loved it,” Valerdi said. Using the BrainGainz app, a user can virtually stand on the field and receive a number of punt returns before getting tackled by linebackers
Scooby Wright III and Sweet. After getting tackled, the app simulates a series of five randomized symptoms experienced during real concussions. “I thought it would be beneficial to give the athlete a choice of trial and error that led to either a reward or a consequence based on their decision to stay in the game after enduring the
CONCUSSION, 3
DAILYWILDCAT C M Can’t wait until our next issue? Go online to keep up with local happenings, breaking news and Arizona sports