H1N1 (Swine Flu) | |
Canisius College is committed to protect the health and safety of our students. The Student Health Center developed this FAQ to educate and assist students in protecting themselves and others from the threat of H1N1 (Swine) flu. These recommendations are consistent with current information provided by the Center for Disease Control, the New York State Department of Health and the Erie County Health Department.
1. What is H1N1 flu?
H1N1 is a new influenza (flu) virus first seen in the United States in April 2009. It is called "novel" H1N1 because the virus has never been identified before and is new. Novel H1N1 was initially called "swine flu" by health officials because many of the genes are similar to some flu viruses that pigs in North America can get. As health officials learn more about this flu virus, they continue to identify it more accurately. As a result, you may hear or see it called by different names, including "novel H1N1 influenza (flu) virus," "H1N1 influenza (flu) virus" or "novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection." These are all describing this same, newly seen influenza virus in people. The word "novel" indicates that this is a new influenza virus with a gene combination that has not been seen before.
2. Is this new H1N1 flu the same as seasonal flu?
No. Seasonal flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by human influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness and at times can lead to death. Human flu viruses change a little bit every year, which is why people can get sick from the flu more than once. It is also why a new flu vaccine is produced each year; the vaccine must be made to protect against the particular viruses circulating that year.
3. How is H1N1 flu virus spread?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined the H1N1 virus spreads in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Coughs and sneezes spread respiratory droplets through the air and deposited on the mouth or nose of people nearby. Influenza viruses may also be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets on another person or an object and then touches their own mouth or nose (or someone else's mouth or nose) before washing their hands. H1N1 is believed to live on surfaces for eight hours.
4. How long after exposure do symptoms occur?
Because this is a new virus, it is not known how long it takes for symptoms to appear after exposure. It could range from one to-seven days and is more likely one to four days.
5. What are the signs and symptoms of H1N1?
The symptoms of H1N1 flu are similar to the symptoms of regular flu and include a fever of 100°F or higher, cough or sore throat.
6. How long can an infected person spread this new H1N1 flu to others?
Individuals sick with H1N1 influenza like illness are infectious until they have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medicines. Students can return to class and full campus after that time. In some cases, students may still have a cough. Students should adhere to cough etiquette such as coughing into a tissue or sleeve. Tissures should be disposed immediately in a trash can and hands should be washed.
7. Can H1N1 be treated?
Yes. At this time H1N1 virus is still susceptible to certain antiviral drugs used to treat flu infections. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started as soon as possible after getting sick (within two days of symptoms). The Center for Disease Control has outlined certain groups of people that should be treated with antiviral therapy. In most cases, H1N1 flu is a mild illness in healthy individuals, and can be treated with rest, fluids and over the counter medications to reduce fever and discomfort. If a student has a chronic health condition that places them at high risk for complications of flu, such conditions include asthma, diabetes, and immunosuppression, early treatment with antiviral therapy is recommended. Students in this group should talk to their health care provider now to outline a plan for early antiviral therapy if illness occurs.
8. Can students be tested for H1N1 on campus?
The Health Center is equipped to screen for influenza A and B on a sample obtained from the nose. Results are available in 10-15 minutes. The test can determine if the student has flu but can not diagnosis H1N1. To confirm a case of H1N1 a sample from the nose must be sent off campus for testing. Since test results can take many days to come back, students with flu like illness will be advised to follow all treatment and infection control strategies outlined for H1N1 flu like illness.
9. Is there a vaccine against the H1N1 flu virus?
Yes, a vaccination is now available that provides protection against H1N1 flu.
Vaccine can be given in a shot or through the nose via a mist. The CDC has identified individuals age 2 years through 24 years as a high risk group and should be vaccinated as soon as vaccine is available.
10. If I get a seasonal flu shot in the fall, will I be protected from H1N1?
Seasonal flu vaccination will not protect you against H1N1 flu.
11. What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these steps to protect your health:
- Avoid close contact (within six feet) with sick people as much as possible.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Hand sanitizers (rubs) that are 60 percent alcohol based are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue if you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it and wash your hands or use an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Eat a well balanced diet
- Avoid alcohol, tobacco and other substances that weaken the immune system
- Get eight hours of sleep each night
- Exercise daily
- Limit stress
- Students should contact the Student Health Center or their doctors for recommendations if they develop flu-like illnesses.
- If a student develops an influenza-like illness (ILI) or is diagnosed with H1N1 flu, he/she should stay home and limit contact with others as much as possible.
- Students should report their flu like illness using the Flu Reporting System found at www.canisius.edu/flu
- Students with flu like illness should not walk in to the Student Health Center for care. They should call to make an appointment. This will keep students with flu like illness away from students seeking care for other conditions.
- To help prevent others they live with from becoming ill, ill students should wear a disposable facemask when close contact with other people in the home is unavoidable. Disposable facemasks can be purchased at pharmacies and medical supply, hardware or home improvement stores and may be labeled as surgical, dental, medical procedure, isolation or laser masks. Facemasks cover the nose and mouth and reduce the number of infectious droplets you may cough or sneeze into the air. Dispose of used facemasks in the trash and wash your hands or use an alcohol-based hand rub immediately after you remove a facemask.
- If a reusable fabric facemask is used, it should be laundered with laundry detergent and tumble-dried in a hot dryer.
- Unless necessary for medical care, students should stay home. If they must be in a public place, they should protect others by wearing a facemask and make the time they spend in crowded settings as short as possible.
- Rest, drink plenty of clear fluids and take medications typically used to treat flu-like symptoms, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
- Students should cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Promptly throw the tissue into the trash and wash hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid having visitors. If visitors must enter your home, they should avoid close contact with you.
- Stay home, remain out of school, work, sports and community activities until you have been fever free for at least 24 hours with using fever reducing medicines.A fever is define as 100ºF or 37.8ºC.
- Upon returning to full activity follow all infection control strategies including covering your cough, frequent handwashing, social distancing and not sharing personal care items and food for at least 10 days.
- Monitor yourself each day for fever using a thermometer.If fever of 100 degrees F or 37.8 degrees C develops, stay home and follow the steps outlned in question 12.
- If possible, place the person with H1N1 in a separate room, away from the common areas of the house or apartment. If a sick person leaves the room to use the bathroom, they should wear a face mask.Respiratory treatments, such as inhalers and nebulizers, should be used by the ill person in a separate room away from common areas of the house when possible.
- Arrange to bring food to the sick person's room.
- Limit your contact with the sick person. Avoid close contact such as kissing and do not share towels, drinking glasses, eating utensils or toothbrushes with the ill person.
- If close contact (within six feet) with someone with H1N1 flu is necessary, consider wearing a facemask to help protect you from illness. Students should wash hands or use an alcohol-based hand rub immediately after removing the facemask and disposing of it in the trash.
- All household members, ill and well, should regularly wash their hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Provide disposable tissues to ill persons to use to cover their mouth and nose whenever they sneeze, cough or blow their nose. Make sure they immediately throw their used tissues in a nearby wastebasket or trash receptacle. Both ill and well persons should wash their hands or use an alcohol-based hand rub after touching used tissues, similar waste and after emptying wastebaskets or trash receptacles.
- Avoid having visitors. If visitors must enter the home, they should avoid close contact with the sick person.
- Advise the sick person to wear a facemask when you are in the room with them.
- Sick persons should have a separate bathroom if possible.
- The dirty dishes, eating utensils, and laundry of the ill person do not need to be washed separately from other members of the household. Use detergent and wash as usual.
- Clean all commonly touched surfaces frequently, such as counter, doorknobs, phones, keyboards, bathroom surfaces using a disinfecting wipe or spray. Disinfecting sprays and wipes can be purchased at any grocery store and are effective in killing the H1N1 virus.
Yes. To help prevent transmission, students should frequently clean touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, refrigerator handle, toilet seat and handle, desks, chairs, keyboards, cell phones, etc. with a standard household disinfectant. If surfaces are visibly dirty, use a household cleaner first, then a disinfectant. Wash your hands with soap and water after cleaning surfaces and items.
15. Can a student stay in the residence halls if he/she is sick with flu-like symptoms or confirmed to have H1N1?
Student Health recommends that all resident students sick with flu go home to the care of their family. We know students recover faster at home. Students and their parents hould have a flu plan for getting home if flu occurs. If a student can not travel home due to distance, Student Health recommends finding a friend or relative in Western New York or surrounding cities to stay with. If a student can not go home or locate a place to stay, students should notify the Office of Residence Life.
Medical Notes and Notification in the Event of flu like illness or H1N1
16. Does Student Health write medical notes for students who miss class?
The Student Health Center medical note policy can be found at www.canisius.edu/student_health.
17. What should a student do if they have a confirmed case of H1N1 or are sick with a flu-like illness and cannot go to class?
Students sick with H1N1 flu should report their illness to faculty and campus officials using the Flu Reporting System found at www.canisius.edu/flu. An e-mail notification will be sent to the student's current professors alerting them that the student is sick with flu and will be absent from class until fever free for 24 hours. Faculty has been advised not to require medical notes for H1N1 flu illness.
18. Will the Student Health Center call parents if a student has a flu-like illness, or confirmed case of H1N1?
The Student Health Center cannot share medical information with parents of students 18 years of age or older unless authorized by the student to do so. If the student is a minor, the parent will be notified. If a student is taken to the hospital, the Student Health Center or another college official will notify the student’s emergency contact. Students and parents are encouraged to update emergency contact information annually. A form to update that can be found at www.canisius.edu/student_health
19. Will the college notify parents and students when cases of H1N1 flu appear on campus?
Students and parents should log onto the college flu page at www.canisius.edu/flu for updated information on flu like illness on campus.
20. How will students be notified if classes are cancelled, the college closes or other emergency information?
- Students and parents are advised to check the flu information page regularly. www.canisius.edu/flu
- Class cancellations are listed daily at www.canisius.edu/students.
- Students are strongly encouraged to sign up for the Canisius Alert System for immediate notifications in emergencies or unique situations. https://merope.canisius.edu:8443/crisisnotice/
21. What should a student bring to campus to be prepared if they get sick with the flu?
- A thermometer to check for fever.
- Fever reducer such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen
- Decongestant
- Cough drops
- A supply of tea, water, Gatorade, soup, crackers
- Facial tissues
- Disposable surgical masks
- Purell or other 60% alcohol or more based hand sanitizer
- Lysol or Clorox disinfecting wipes
- Cleaning supplies
- Cool mist vaporizer
- Multivitamins
- Develop a plan to get home if you get sick with a flu-like illness.
- Determine how you will care for someone in the family and what will be needed at home to do that.
- Write a communication plan for the family, put family phone numbers in student’s cell phone, as well as the phone number of their primary healthcare provider.
- Get a list of faculty contact information and keep it in a safe place, share a copy with family for easy access at home
- Purchase a supply of over the counter medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
- Talk to your physician now about antiviral therapy if exposed.
- Plan to get a flu shot on campus or at your physician this fall.
- Check out pandemic planning for families at: www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/individual/checkout.html
- Other Resources
www.flu.gov/individualfamily/caregivers/index.html
www.cdc.gov/h1n1
www.health.state.ny.us
Page last modified on 11/3/2009 10:13:40 AM