The following are recommendations for response to the current potential influenza outbreak, and follow guidelines set out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).   These recommendations reflect our current understanding of procedures that will help to prevent the spread of H1N1.   It is possible that the H1N1 situation may change rapidly and changes may be needed to these recommendations as we go forward during the year. 

What to do about the H1N1 flu?

Prevention
All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to practice good health habits. Get eight hours of sleep each night, eat a nutritious diet, get regular exercise and enjoy fresh air. It is also important to practice hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. Important flu prevention measures include staying home or in isolation when sick, washing hands frequently with soap and water when possible, and covering noses and mouths with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.

Faculty, staff and students can help to prevent the spread of flu by wiping phones, keyboards, doorknobs and the like with disposable wipes.   Maintenance has placed sanitizing wipes in the common areas on campus, such as computer labs.  Please let them know via workorder@csm.edu if these are empty or if you recommend another area to place them.    

Symptoms and first steps
Symptoms of the 2009 H1N1 flu virus include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.  Students, faculty and staff with these symptoms should stay away from classes and work and limit interactions with other people (called self-isolation), except to seek medical care for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines or they no longer have symptoms if they have not had a fever.  Ill students should stay away from others during the time period even if they are taking antiviral drugs for treatment of the flu, as people infected with seasonal and 2009 H1N1 flu virus may be able to infect others from 1 day before getting sick to 5 to 7 days after. (For more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm.)   

Residence hall students
Residence hall students who become ill with flu-like symptoms must call or email their respective staff member, Linda Varvel or Sr. Karen Egri, and that staff member will make contact with the student for follow-up.  In addition, they will contact the Information Center so that faculty are contacted and we have an accurate count of those who are ill.  If at all possible, residential students with flu-like illness who live within an hour's drive of campus should return to their home to keep from making others sick.  It is recommended by the CDC that ill students return home by private transportation such as private car or taxi instead of using public transportation.   If students are not able or don't have the support to return home, we will make an on-campus location available for students who become ill. Residence hall students who are unable to go home must move to this isolation location until 24 hours after they are symptom-free.

Non-residential students and CSM employees
Non-residential students, faculty and staff who become ill are asked to self-isolate at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever, or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines, or no longer have symptoms if they have not had a fever.  Non-residential students are asked to call the Information Center at 399-2400 or jlyman@csm.edu so we can notify faculty and so we are also aware of the count of those who are ill.  Staff and faculty should call the President's office to notify of flu absence at 399-2435.

Reduce exposure
In order to prevent the spread of illness, please DO NOT go to class (including clinical, student teaching, etc.) participate in athletic activities, meet with other individuals or groups, work (including student work), contact offices or individuals in person, or go to the dining hall.  Because of this recommendation, professors will not require you to report to a doctor to verify flu-like symptoms if you are ill. Your grade will not be penalized for absences if you are following the recommendations of health authorities AND contact us to notify us that you are ill. However, students who miss class due to influenza will still be responsible for the entire semester's material, and will ordinarily need to make up the work missed. In general, those with flu symptoms should limit exposure to others in every way possible. For example, only one person should bring books and other needed items to a recovering student.  If exposure with others cannot be avoided, the ill student will be asked to wear a surgical mask during the period of exposure. Those assisting students with flu symptoms will also wear masks, supplied by the college.  Designating a "wellness buddy" in advance may be helpful.  Most contact, including updates to faculty and other staff can be managed through e-mail, text messaging, or phone calls with each student who is in isolation. 

As we go forward
CSM will continually monitor and study future recommendations from federal and local authorities and will communicate those to students and college employees.