The H1N1 flu virus has been a high-profile news story, both nationally and locally over the past several weeks.

Because this pandemic could potentially affect Southeast Missouri State University, a subcommittee of the University's Emergency Response Team, chaired by Doug Richards, director of Public Safety, began meeting last spring and resumed meeting in early August in an effort to prepare the campus for the possibility of an H1N1 flu virus outbreak in the coming months.  In addition, Southeast officials have been actively working with public health officials in Cape Girardeau County to monitor the situation, and campus representatives have been attending regular meetings of the Cape Girardeau County Infectious Disease Task Force.

The campus committee has drafted a Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Action Plan for Southeast, which outlines healthcare, preventative supplies and equipment needs, and a workforce strategy to be implemented at Southeast if the need arises.  This plan will be reviewed by Administrative Council at its September 15th meeting.

A number of other common-sense initiatives are under way, including:

• Placement of hand sanitizer in public and high-traffic areas with additional supplies available Tuesday, September 8, at the Department of Public Safety
• A University stockpile of supplies, including hand wipes, gloves and masks, to be distributed if necessary   
• The Campus Health Clinic, which serves faculty, staff and students, in partnership with Southeast Missouri Hospital, can assist faculty, staff, and students in securing anti-viral medications via prescriptions as necessary.
• Flyers have been distributed to let you know what you can do to stay healthy. Those needing additional flyers are asked to contact Beth Glaus in the Department of  Public Safety at baglaus@semo.edu or (573) 651-2215.
• Larger-scale posters and a wallet-size quick reference card with flu prevention tips and will be distributed in the near future.
• Facilities Management is focusing its efforts on sanitizing "high-touch" areas, including indoor handrails, desktops, door handles and knobs.
• Powerful cleaning agents capable of ridding surfaces of the H1N1 virus are being used to clean these areas.

Flu Vaccinations

The H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine - it is intended to be used along-side seasonal flu vaccine.

Persons Who Should be Vaccinated Each Year for the Seasonal Flu include:

• Pregnant women
• People 50 years of age and older
• People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
• People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
• People who live with or care for those at high risk from complications from the flu including:
• Healthcare workers
• Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from influenza
• Household contacts and out-of-home care givers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)

High-Risk Persons Who Need to be Vaccinated for the H1N1 flu include:

• Pregnant women
• Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age
• Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel
• All people from 6 months through 24 years of age
• Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.

Campus Health Clinic Seasonal Flu Vaccines
The Campus Health Clinic located in room 101 of Crisp Hall, will provide the seasonal flu vaccine to students, faculty and staff starting mid-October.   Read the Newswire or check the campus "My Southeast" portal for notifications.

What You Can Do to Stay Healthy

To prevent the spread of the flu virus:

• Cough and sneeze into your elbow.
• Wash you hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
• Stay home if you get sick.  The CDC recommends you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Promote good health practices to improve or maintain a healthy immune system to fight infections:

• Get plenty of rest (seven hours of sleep recommended)
• Eat regularly and don't skip meals.  Choose variety, including fruits and vegetables, lean meats and proteins, low fat milk and milk products, health grains, plenty of water daily.  Staying hydrated is very important, particularly as the temperature and humidity stay high.
• Get plenty of exercise.
• Manage stress effectively.

Recommendations to Combat All Varieties of Flu Viruses

• Wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer available in each computer lab prior to touching a computer keyboard.
• Keep in your residence hall room basic supplies for prevention strategies, such as a thermometer, Tylenol and Ibuprofen, Kleenex, Clorox-type wipes to clean surfaces, hand sanitizer to carry when no soap/water is accessible, and paper towels to avoid over use of cloth towels that can spread germs.
• Call the Campus Health Clinic (651-2270) or your personal physician.  Do NOT go to the Campus Health Clinic or your personal physician's office without CALLING FIRST.  This minimizes spread of the virus and provides for more efficient care.
• Students who are ill with the flu should "self-isolate" - i.e., severely curtail interactions with others except to seek medical care - until at least 24 hours after you 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.  Do not use public transportation to travel.
• If you cannot return home, you should be isolated as much as possible.  Contact your Hall Director for instructions.  Plans are in place for alternative isolation areas.
• Residence hall students who can utilize distance-learning methods may be able to continue studies even while ill (as your health allows).
• If you are ill, telephone or e-mail your instructors to let them know about your situation.
• If close contact with others cannot be avoided, the ill student should be asked to wear a surgical mask during the period of contact.  Examples of close contact include kissing, sharing eating or drinking utensils, or having any other contact between persons likely to result in exposure to respiratory droplets.  

Commuter Students

• Wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer available in each computer lab prior to touching a computer keyboard.
• Call the Campus Health Clinic (651-2270) or your personal physician.  Do NOT go to the Campus Health Clinic or your personal physician's office without CALLING FIRST.  This minimizes spread of the virus and provides for more efficient care.
• Commuter students ill with the flu should practice self-isolation (whether at their own home or the home of a relative/friend) and not return to campus until they have recovered - at least 24 hours after you no longer display fever symptoms without the aid of fever-reducing medicine.
• Commuter students who can utilize distance-learning methods may be able to continue studies even while ill (if your health allows).
• If you are ill, telephone or e-mail your instructors to let them know about your situation.

Faculty and Staff

• Wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer
• Call the Campus Health Clinic (651-2270) or your personal physician if you experience symptoms.  Do NOT go to the Campus Health Clinic or your personal physician's office without CALLING FIRST.  This minimizes spread of the virus and provides for more efficient care.
• Practice self-isolation and do not return to campus until you have recovered - at least 24 hours after you no longer display fever symptoms without the aid of fever-reducing medicine.
• If you are ill, telephone or e-mail your supervisor to let them know about your situation.
• Keep basic supplies on hand for prevention strategies in your classroom, such as Kleenex, Clorox-type wipes to clean surfaces, hand sanitizer and paper towels.
• Facilities administrators should ensure that all facilities, particularly residence halls, classrooms, elevators, dining halls, and other high-contact areas, are cleaned frequently.
• 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 declared campus outbreak of H1N1 flu.  Such planning should include course coverage for faculty and continuity of business operations for administrators and staff.
• If you suspect a student might have the flu, encourage them to call the Campus Health Clinic in Crisp Hall, Room 101, phone 651-2270.
  Reassure students that the flu is common, usually a mild illness, and for all types of flu there are practical prevention methods and treatment options.
  

Stay Informed

Campus information concerning the flu and notifications or warnings will be posted on My Southeast and will be distributed via Newswire.  You also can find information on the University's Web site at:  http://www.semo.edu/safety/h1n1.htm.

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