H1N1
What college students need to know
Red Cross Ready
Be Informed (find out about
flu)
Have a Plan (where to go)
Make a Kit (what to do if you
must leave school or your
dorm)
What is this “Flu”? What do I call it?
The first thing we heard was “swine” flu
It’s really called influenza A(H1N1)
But many people will know what you mean when you
say H1N1 or swine flu
It’s different from seasonal flu
Is it contagious? How does it spread?
Yes, it is contagious!
It spreads the way other flu strains spread, airborne-
person to person:
through coughs and sneezes
touching objects that have respiratory droplets on
them and then touching a mucous membrane without
washing your hands. For example: someone with
H1N1 sneezes on a keyboard, you use it, and then
rub your eyes without washing your hands, you could
get H1N1
How long can a virus survive on a surface, like a sink
or keyboard? 2-8 hours
Did this come from a pig? Can I eat
pork?
The first studies showed that many of the genes in
the H1N1 virus were similar to influenza strains
affecting pigs
But later, lab tests showed that the viruses are
actually quite different
So you can still eat pork. Also, if bio class requires
dissecting pigs, don’t worry about getting H1N1 from
the specimen.
Is this worse than “bird flu”?
Depends on how you think of it.
More than half of people who caught current
strain of “bird flu” (H5N1 type) died, but
person-to-person transmission is rare.
Almost everyone who died touched birds.
H1N1 spreads person-to-person, not as high
a death rate
Seasonal Flu Shots/H1N1 Shots
Your school is probably suggesting them
There are great materials from the CDC if you’re
worried about side effects
Please speak with your student health center for
individual questions about whether or not a flu shot is
a good idea. Seasonal and H1N1 are different shots
Costs are variable-check out possible student
discounts through your university health service
H1N1 shots are available now for high-priority
populations, more should become available as
supplies get larger.
Anti-virals
If you get the flu, you may get an anti-
viral drug
The “shelf names” of the common ones
are Tamiflu, Relenza, Symmetrel,
Flumadine.
When would I take these? Preferably
within 2 days after getting sick
To prevent H1N1
(Stay Informed!)
Wash your hands often. Please carry some hand
sanitizer, or use the ones at school. Be sure to
remember to wash up if you cough or sneeze
Try to get rest, exercise, and plenty of water and
healthy food. This is hard in college, but giving it a
try is well worth it
If you must cough or sneeze, covering with your
elbow or upper sleeve is MUCH better than sneezing
into your hands. And throw out tissues as fast as
possible
Try to keep eye, nose, and mouth touching to a bare
minimum
If you do get sick, please stay away from school or
work (or parties, for that matter)
What are some symptoms? (Stay
Informed!)
Fever
Cough
Sore throat
Runny/stuffy nose
Fatigue
Headache
Chills
Body ache
About 25% of people with H1N1 will have vomiting as a symptom
About 25% of people with H1N1 will have diarrhea as a symptom
Yup, some other infections have the same symptoms, so you may
be sure you have H1N1, but your lab tests show something else!
Please follow up with you nurse/doctor about this and take care of
yourself
When should I go to the hospital?
(Stay Informed!)
If you:
Continually throw up, or throw up
severely
Are confused or dizzy
Have trouble breathing
Pain or pressure in your chest or
abdomen
If your flu seems to go away and comes
back quickly and with worse symptoms
When can I go back to normal
activities?
After seven days or 24 hours after
you stop having symptoms,
whichever is longer
You will continue to hear: please
stay home if you are sick. Please
take this seriously
So you’re a student
Yup, it’s different. You don’t have sick pay and
classes may be based on participation and
attendance
You may be tempted to just power through, but …
You could get sicker, and have to go to the hospital,
then you’d really miss some school
You may not be allowed, depending on school policy
Your friends could become sick
I’m a sick student! What can I do?
(Make a Plan!)
Please tell your profs and TAs.
Get some medical help. Student Health
Services/Wellness Promotion is there for exactly that
reason
Tell your friends: they may be sick too, or they may
be able to help you
Temporary “house swapping” is possible with sick
friends.
If you’re a dorm/Greek house dweller, please let your
hall director/RA/housemom know
Go home? (or not)
Make a Plan!
This is a tricky decision! Some things to
consider:
Do you have to fly? If so, please take into
consideration the safety of other passengers
and how long you’ll be contagious
What is your house like? Will you be able to
stay in touch with people at school?
I’m staying!
Self-quarantine is possible in a single dorm or
single bedroom in a house or apartment. If
you share bathrooms off campus, please
clean them often
Double rooms (or more)-please listen to the
concerns of your roommate(s)
If you eat on campus, bringing disposable
plates and silverware is good, if your school
isn’t already doing that. It’s helps the kitchen
workers stay healthy.
We’re quarantined!
It stinks, but…..
Your profs will know and not be able to
penalize your grades
Use a quarantine as an opportunity to catch
up on sleep
Stay connected to the outside world through
computers, phones, stereos, and iPods
Backup plans!
Very important!
You may find yourself unable (or not allowed)
to walk onto an airplane, so a backup plan for
a ride or staying at school is necessary
You may have chosen to stay, but are sent
home by campus rules
Prepare to swap buildings or halls, too. The
school may make a sick dorm and a well
dorm.
I have to change buildings. What do I
take? (Your Kit!)
a) Phone
b) Warm clothes/cool clothes (in case your temperature is going
up and down)
c) Insurance card
d) School ID and Government ID (passport, driver’s license,
student visa, green card)
e) Any prescriptions you already have
f) Blanket
g) Toiletries
h) School calendar/planner-even if you’re too sick to do work,
you can at least keep track of the date
i) Mask/latex gloves
j) Copy of the school’s policy on leaving and returning to
dorms/classes after contagious illness (if they have one)
k) Thermometer
I missed a ton of school. I’m afraid
I’ll fail.
Please talk to your profs, they may be dealing with
other sick students and could help all of you in a
group
Prioritize classes that are required to graduate, or
courses that must be taken in sequence.
See if you can take anything pass/fail
If you find yourself in deep trouble over academics, it
may be worth it to call the division of student affairs
If you get an incomplete in a class
The most important thing to find out is when the
deadline is for finishing
Some schools will turn that “I” into an “F” after a
certain number of weeks, months, or semesters
If the class is not required to graduate, you may
consider trying to just drop it, if you got so far behind
that you doubt your ability to finish
Can I go to Mexico for Spring Break?
Didn’t this all start there?
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention) puts out travel advisories for
every country. There may not be a “ban” to a
certain country, but it’s good to look at the
information and decide for yourself.
The Three Best Things to Know
Get a Kit (to stay, to go
home, to stay organized,
to be prepared)
Make a Plan
Stay informed
More Info
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
Hotline at: 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
Questions can be e-mailed to cdcinfo@cdc.gov
American Red Cross
www.redcross.org/pandemicflu
U.S. Government H1N1, avian, and pandemic flu
www.PandemicFlu.gov
World Health Organization
www.who.int
Georgia Department of Community Health
http://health.state.ga.us/pandemicflu/
Sources
American Red Cross presentation ARC
H1HN1 presentation 20090831
www.cdc.gov
www.flu.gov