H1N1 Update to Students and their Families
Upcoming Flu Clinics on Campus
There are no Wellness Center events at the moment.
How do I know if I have the Flu?
The symptoms of H1N1 (swine) include:
- Temperature 100 degrees or greater
- Cough sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue
- Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Generally the symptoms of the Flu come on quickly.
What do I do if I develop Flu like Symptoms?
Residential Students:
- Do not leave your room, but instead phone the Wellness Center at (585) 385-8280.
- In order to limit the spread of the flu, all students are asked to call us first, rather than come into the Wellness Center directly.
- When you call, a phone triage will take place at that point and a plan of care will be developed.
- If necessary, students will be brought into the Wellness Center for further assessment.
If you develop flulike symptoms, you need to contact your family and ask someone to come and take you home.
Commuters, Faculty and Staff:
Generally, people with the flu can manage themselves at home with little or no medical attention.
- Remain at home until you are fever free for 24 hours without using medications to lower your temperature.
High Risk Individuals:
High Risk Individuals include people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions, including:
- asthma
- diabetes
- immune-suppression
- heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease
- pregnant women
- adults 65 years and older
- children younger than five years old
Individuals at high Risk for developing complications from the Flu should consult with their health care provider immediately after developing flu-like symptoms, or following recent close contact with someone who has flulike symptoms.
When to call your healthcare provider
How to stay healthy
• Cough in your sleeve or 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 warm water, especially after you cough, sneeze, or touch shared surfaces. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Clean shared surfaces (doorknobs, keyboards, phones, etc.) with disinfectant
• Do not share cups, eating utensils, smoking paraphernalia, lip balm, etc.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Get a seasonal flu vaccine when available.
• Eat a balanced diet; exercise on a regular basis; get plenty of rest.
Limit close contact with sick people;
Try and stay at least 6 feet away
Close contact includes:
• Sharing eating or drinking utensils.
• Kissing or embracing.
• Sharing lip balms, smoking paraphernalia, or other things that touch the mouth or nose.
Close contact typically does NOT include:
• walking by an infected person,
sitting across from someone in an office or waiting room.
Prepare a Flu Kit
Contents should include:
• A digital thermometer (everyone must purchase a thermometer!)
• Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen (NOT aspirin)
• decongestants
• cough drops and/or cough syrup
• tissues
• alcohol-based hand rub for hand hygiene
• Face masks in case you need to leave your room or home (for medical care, etc.) or if close contact with an ill individual is unavoidable in a living situation.
• electrolyte drinks such as Gatorade
• soups, crackers, and other comfort foods
What else do you need?
Copies of family health insurance/pharmacy insurance cards, and contact information for health care providers.