UE Prepares for H1N1
Published: September 08, 2009
The H1N1 flu virus has caused much concern in the U.S. and the world over the past several months. With the possibility of an increasingly virulent outbreak this fall, the University of Evansville has established an H1N1 task force to review and develop appropriate procedures in the case of an outbreak.
Communication and Education – Posters describing good hand washing and hygiene practices are located in campus bathrooms. Automatic hand sanitizers are located at the entrance of Café Court, and employees are encouraged to keep hand sanitizers on their desks. Practice the 3 C’s to lower your risk of contracting this virus:
- Clean – Properly wash your hands frequently. Alcohol based hand cleaners containing at least 60% alcohol are also effective.
- Cover – Cover your cough & sneeze
- Contain – Contain your germs by staying home when you are sick. Taking precautions is the responsibility of each individual.
Symptoms of H1N1 virus include fever (above 100 degrees) lethargy, body aches, cough, sore throat, runny nose, diarrhea and nausea & vomiting. Students experiencing these symptoms should report to the UE Health Center. Employees are asked to follow up with their primary care physician for diagnosis and treatment. A flu vaccine is not currently available but is being developed and is expected to be released in early fall.
Prevention – Although persons are contagious for up to 24 hours before symptoms emerge, it is recommended that once diagnosed they be isolated to prevent further spread of the virus. This isolation period will last until the student has been free of fever without the assistance of medication, generally 3-5 days. Sodexo Food Service is prepared to respond to an outbreak of H1N1 virus by implementing special contingency plans.
A comprehensive response to a campus H1N1 virus outbreak has been developed. The UE Health Center is working closely with the Vanderburgh County Health Department and the Indiana State Health Department as new information becomes available regarding the virus. As new information becomes available, it will be posted at www.evansville.edu/flu.
Helpful Links regarding H1N1:
