Flu Advisory: August 26 "Back to Campus Advisory"
Update 8/26/09 11 a.m. EDT
From Emory's Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response
To the Emory Community:
The emergence of the novel H1N1 flu virus (formerly known as swine flu) poses challenges for our community as the fall season approaches. The H1N1 flu continued to spread in camps and schools over the summer, and in the Southern hemisphere, which is in the middle of its flu season, it emerged as the most common cause of the flu. Novel H1N1 influenza is different than seasonal flu:
- Novel H1N1 has caused more illness in people age 5-24, than in the older age groups. Seasonal flu mostly affects the old and very young.
- Vaccine for novel H1N1 is not yet available, challenging efforts to control its spread.
Most cases of novel H1N1 flu have been mild, but there have been hospitalizations and deaths - just as there is every year with seasonal flu. As would be expected of a novel influenza virus, the novel H1N1 virus has demonstrated an ability to cause serious illness not only among individuals with underlying medical conditions but also among young, previously healthy individuals. To minimize the impact of this virus in our community, it will be important to heed the advice offered by public health experts.
General information on H1N1 flu can be found at the CDC's website at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm.
Symptoms
Symptoms of novel H1N1 influenza are similar to seasonal influenza and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Some people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting. Like seasonal flu, anyone with underlying chronic medical conditions may be more seriously impacted by H1N1 flu.
What should I do if I get sick?
It is expected that most people will recover from H1N1 flu without needing medical care. If you do develop signs and symptoms of the flu you may be ill for a week or longer. The CDC recommends:
- Stay home and try to avoid contact with others as much as possible
- Avoid going to school or work until 24 hours after your fever is down without use of medications (there are different guidelines for the healthcare setting)
- If you need to go out to seek medical care, cover your face with a facemask and cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue
Further advice on being ill with the flu is available at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm
People with risk factors for more serious disease (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, pregnancy) should contact their healthcare provider for further guidance and evaluation. People developing more serious signs and symptoms of illness, like chest pain, shortness of breath, severe persistent vomiting, or dizziness or confusion, should seek medical care immediately.
Emory students with flu-like symptoms can contact Student Health Services at 404.727.7551 or online via Your Patient Portal at www.studenthealth.emory.edu to arrange for an appointment with a clinician. Oxford campus students may dial 770.784.8376 during regular business hours (8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday thru Friday) or 404.727.7551 after hours.
Further guidance for students regarding academics and residential life can be found at http://www.emory.edu/home/H1N1-flu/students.html
Employee Health Services has five (5) office numbers. Please communicate with the appropriate location based on your office location.
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Emory University Hospital |
404.686.8589 |
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Emory University Hospital - Midtown |
404.686.8589 |
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Wesley Woods |
404.728.6437 |
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Orthopedics and Spine Center |
404.251.3075 |
|
Grady Employee Health Services |
404.616.4600 |
Students, staff and faculty with flu symptoms will be advised to return home with family or in relative isolation from others while their symptoms resolve. Reducing the spread of the virus in our community is important. Anticipating absence from work and the classroom, and considering alternatives that allow for remote completion of duties or course work will go a long way toward managing the impact of this flu season in our community.
Vaccine
Vaccines are a powerful way to prevent spread of infection. There will be two flu vaccines this fall, one for seasonal flu and one for novel H1N1.
The seasonal flu vaccine campaign will start in September this year. Though this vaccine will not protect you from the novel H1N1 virus, it is the best available protection from seasonal flu strains. Obtaining the seasonal flu vaccine will help protect you from contracting the seasonal flu and prevent you from passing it on to others. With so many people expected to get ill this fall from the novel H1N1 strain, the more individuals vaccinated against seasonal flu the better. Information about Emory's seasonal flu campaign can be obtained at www.emory.edu/flu .
Novel H1N1 vaccine is still in development and expected to be available in limited quantities in late fall. When this vaccine becomes available, Emory will work with State and local public health agencies to provide more information about obtaining this very important vaccine.
General Precautions
Please see the student and community health flyers available for download at www.emory.edu/flu . Feel free to distribute them to friends and office-mates and post them in your building.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is offering the following reminders regarding some general precautions everyone should follow to help stem the spread of all flu like illnesses this upcoming season:
- Regularly wash your hands with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or upper arm, not your hand.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people
- Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
- If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Additional Information
The Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR) and its partners across Emory will continue to monitor the situation, and will update as indicated by the rapidly evolving situation at www.emory.edu/flu.
Please refer to the CDC's website for information, which will be regularly updated, at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.
The difficult flu season ahead is an opportunity for our community to show its strength. Look out for the welfare of those around you, as you always do, and help when you can. Working together we can all contribute toward lessening the flu's impact this fall and winter.
