ND Flu website

Stay up-to-date on flu activity in North Dakota by visiting www.ndflu.com.  ND Department of Health manages this site.  The site includes an excellent map tracking various flu cases across the state.

 

CDC H1N1 Recommendations

Recommendations for Residential Students

Students who are ill with H1N1 should “self-isolate”—i.e., severely curtail their interactions with others except to seek medical care—until at least 24 hours after they no longer display fever symptoms without the aid of fever-reducing medicine.

If possible, ill students should return home to recuperate and minimize the risk of infecting others if they live nearby and can do so without using public transportation.

 

Students who cannot return home should be isolated as much as possible. (The CDC suggests students serve as “flu buddies,” pairing up to take care of each other when ill to limit contact between sick and well people, but this may not be practical for all campuses.)

Schools with shared dormitory facilities rather than private dormitory rooms may wish to set up alternative isolation areas for sick students who cannot leave campus.

 

Recommendations for Commuter Students

Commuter students ill with H1N1 should practice self-isolation (whether at their own home or the home of a friend/relative) and not return to campus until they have recovered.

Commuter students who can utilize distance-learning methods may be able to continue studies even while ill. (This also applies to resident students.)

 

Recommendations for Faculty, Staff, and Administration

Faculty, staff, and administration suffering from H1N1 should follow the same self-isolation guidelines as students.

 

Faculty are encouraged not to require doctors’ notes to excuse absences from class due to illness; administrators are encouraged not to require doctors’ notes to excuse absences from work. This is due to the CDC’s anticipation that students and employees may not be able to obtain doctors’ notes in a timely manner after recovering from H1N1 or other illnesses due to the burden on health care facilities.

 

Facilities administrators should ensure facilities—particularly dormitories, classrooms, elevators, dining halls, and other high-contact areas—are cleaned frequently.

 

Administrators and faculty are encouraged to develop distance learning strategies, flextime and remote working arrangements, and other methods of limiting face-to-face contact while maintaining operations in the event of a campus outbreak of H1N1 flu. Such planning should include course coverage for faculty and continuity of business operations for administrators and staff.

 

Administrators are encouraged to tailor leave policies to accommodate the possibility of a widespread outbreak of H1N1 on campus and/or further CDC recommendations for campus closures/event cancellations in case of a major outbreak.

Senior administrators are encouraged to discuss setting up vaccination clinics on campus when vaccine supplies for H1N1 become available (at this writing, estimated to be October 2009). AASCU will continue to monitor the situation closely and advise members as the fall flu season develops.

 

Information Resource Links

CDC guidance specific to colleges and universities: http://www.flu.gov/plan/school/higheredguidance.html

President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Executive Report: U.S. Preparations for the 2009-H1N1 Influenza: http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/PCAST_H1N1_Report.pdf

Federal one-stop information site http://www.flu.gov/ 

CDC flu site http://www.cdc.gov/flu/ http://www.dhs.gov/files//programs/swine-flu.shtm (Homeland Security flu site)

U.S. Health and Human Services flu site http://www.hhs.gov/

U.S. Department of Education flu site http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/emergencyplan/pandemic/index.html

 

 

H1N1 Information

CDC recently published updated guidance for higher education. 

 

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/institutions/guidance  - guidance for universities

 

http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/institutions/guidance/technical.htm  - technical report for the guidance

 

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/institutions/toolkit  - communications toolkit

H1N1 now a pandemic

The World Health Organization declared the H1N1 virus a pandemic.  This declaration pushes drug makers to develop drugs to fight the virus. In addition, schools and government organizations are activating their pandemic plans.  The U.S. Department of Education released a statement yesterday following the announcement.  You can read the two page letter at the following link - http://tinyurl.com/mdz4sd

 

 

 

Monitoring H1N1

Valley City State University is monitoring the H1N1 (Swine) Flu outbreak. The campus works with city, county, and state officials to plan and prepare for any pandemic. There is no reason to panic, as the state is prepared with H1N1 treatment.VCSU encourages faculty, staff, students, visitors, and others to practice good hygiene. Proper hand washing/sanitizing and covering a cough help stop the spread of germs. Below is some information from the CDC:

• Stay informed. This website will be updated regularly as information becomes available.
• Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
  
• Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
  
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
  
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
  
• Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
  
• Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
  
• Develop a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of food, medicines, facemasks, alcohol-based hand rubs and other essential supplies.