Thursday, August 27, 2009
Influenza A (H1N1) Campus Update
August 24, 2009
Dear Members of the Campus Community:
I am writing to provide you with a status report on suspected cases of the
H1N1 virus on campus. I appreciate the precautions that all of you have taken
thus far. While the prevalence of suspected cases and severity of symptoms
remain relatively modest, we have experienced an increase in cases this past
week compared to the low, sporadic activity during the summer months. During
the past week, there have been 18 students who have contacted Student Health
Services with flu-like illness.
Ill students who live off campus have been asked to stay home and avoid contact
with others, while students in residential housing who do not come from areas
near Pittsburgh are being taken care of by staff members in Student Health
Services, Housing, Dining and Student Affairs. In accordance with the latest
directive from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), students
will remain in isolation until they are fever-free for 24 hours after they
have stopped taking fever-reducing medications.
These suspected cases serve as a reminder to all of us to be vigilant in
reacting to flu-like symptoms in an effort to mitigate the spread of
infection.
WHAT STUDENTS SHOULD DO:
If you are feeling ill with flu-like symptoms you should monitor your
temperature. If you develop a fever of 100 degrees F (37.8 degrees C) or more,
isolate yourself from others, do NOT attend classes, and immediately call
Student Health Services (SHS) at 412-268-8220 during office hours. If you live
in campus housing and the SHS is closed call 412-268-2323. If you do not have
a thermometer, Temp-a-Dots are available by contacting your resident
assistant. Students who live off campus should purchase a thermometer or
obtain Temp-a-Dots from SHS.
If you're feeling ill it is important to quickly isolate yourself and contact
SHS in an effort to limit the spread of infection in the campus community and
to lessen the impact on caregivers who are working diligently to provide care
to those who are ill. If you live within 150 miles of campus, we encourage you
to recuperate at home, if at all possible.
As noted, and as recommended by the CDC, efforts are being made to provide
sick students living in campus housing with alternative, isolated living
quarters, in addition to meals and health care. Students who live in non-
university housing should isolate themselves from others, including roommates,
and ask roommates for assistance in securing food, fluids and over-the-counter
cold medications.
Student Affairs will contact the professors of ill students about their need
to miss classes, and they will be given the opportunity to make up missed
assignments.
Please forward this email to your parents so they are aware of the steps we
are taking to care for ill students.
WHAT FACULTY & STAFF SHOULD DO:
If you're feeling ill you should also monitor your temperature. If you develop
a fever of 100 degrees F (37.8 degrees C) or more, you should isolate
yourself, stay home from work and call your health care provider, especially
if you have another medical condition. You should also comply with the latest
CDC directive and remain home until you are fever-free for
24 hours after you have stopped taking fever-reducing medicines. We also are
asking you to notify Student Health Services at 412-268-8220 so we can
accurately monitor the health of our campus population.
If you have questions concerning PTO issues, contact your Human Resources
manager. Specific questions related to PTO practices or the university¹s
short-term disability program should be directed to Gayle Ritenbaugh at 412-
268-5077.
HELP LIMIT THE SPREAD OF INFECTION:
Flu viruses, including the H1N1, are most commonly spread when an infected
person coughs or sneezes into the air that others breathe. You can also become
infected by touching contaminated objects, such as doorknobs or keyboards, and
then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.
To help prevent infection:
* Wash your hands frequently with soap and water;
* Cover your cough and sneeze with a tissue and immediately throw the tissue
away. If you do not have a tissue use your sleeve. If you must use your hands,
wash them immediately with soap and water;
* Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth after touching public surfaces;
* Avoid contact with people who are ill or maintain a distance of 3 to 6 feet
from anyone who is coughing; and
* Clean shared surfaces before and after using them (common household cleaning
products or a bleach and water solution are adequate.)
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions about the seasonal or H1N1 flu, contact Student
Health Services (SHS) at 412-268-8220. Information is also available on the
SHS Web site at http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/HealthServices/index.html
Thank you for your vigilance.
Sincerely,
Anita Barkin, DrPH, MSN, CRNP
Director, Student Health Services
