President's Message
Dear USU Students, Faculty and Staff,
According to the American College Health Association, more than 75 percent of the nation's colleges and universities have been affected by H1N1, with more than 5,000 cases reported to date. Individuals under 24 years old are expected to be more highly susceptible to the H1N1 virus. The CDC is estimating that more than 1 million people in the U.S. have been infected by H1N1. Reports of actual case counts were discontinued on July 24, as they were not representative of the true burden of disease: many cases are mild and do not result in testing, which is only recommended in severe cases. As of September 3, the number of U.S. hospitalizations from H1N1 stood at 9,079 and the number of deaths at 593.
I have convened an H1N1 task force at USU to develop our preparedness plans for the H1N1 influenza pandemic and to continue to educate the campus population about how to stay healthy and avoid the H1N1 virus this flu season. However, students, faculty and staff may still encounter the illness and should know what to do if they have the flu.
As you may know, flu can be spread easily from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to prevent the spread of flu at USU for as long as possible, but, we need your help to accomplish this. Here are a few tips:
Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners also are effective. Wiping down surfaces likely to be contaminated (i.e. desks tops, chair arms, keyboards, telephones, doorknobs, etc.) is also a good preventive measure. While we are stepping up our efforts to ensure that alcohol-based hand cleaners will be available in many common areas, highly traveled areas, entrances and exits, we ask that you do your part by ensuring these items are available in your own departments. Current Government Purchase Card (GPC) policy allows for the purchase of Antibacterial Hand Sanitizers and disposable disinfecting wipes for general use, although not individual use (e.g., it cannot be on a person's desk, but it can be in a general location for use by an office).
Practice respiratory etiquette by covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth; germs are spread this way.
Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. A fever is a temperature taken with a thermometer that is equal to or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius. Look for possible signs of fever: if the person feels very warm, has a flushed appearance, or is sweating or shivering.
Stay home if you have flu or flu-like illness for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen). Don't go to class or work, and call your health care provider first, before visiting their office or clinic. Visit the USU H1N1 webpage for specific instructions for notification.
Talk with your health care providers about whether you should be vaccinated for seasonal flu. Also if you are at higher risk for flu complications from 2009 H1N1 flu, you should consider getting the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available. People at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 flu complications include pregnant women and people with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes). For more information about priority groups for vaccination, visit http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm.
If this year's flu season becomes more severe, we may take additional steps to prevent the spread of the virus.
The University has established an H1N1 Influenza Information webpage, which is easily found by clicking on the blue H1N1 button on the left side of the USU homepage. The site will provide regular updates, specific guidance, and links to valuable H1N1 resources from the CDC and DoD.
We have also established a special "2009 Influenza Bulletin" email account which will be used to notify the USU community about important H1N1 updates, or to provide emergency information (these emails will be identified by red text in the subject line). It is your responsibility to read these messages and to check the website to ensure you are receiving the most up to date information specific to the university and our strategy to prevent the spread of flu on our campus.
If you have additional questions, please contact the H1N1 Tiger Team at H1N1@usuhs.mil.
Sincerely,
Charles L. Rice, M.D.
President
