MBCNews - College Urges All to Take Precautions Against Flu

College Urges All to Take Precautions Against Flu

2009-04-28

UPDATE 5/1/09: The 2009 H1N1 influenza (formerly called the swine flu) continues to spread globally and in the U.S. Two cases have now been confirmed in Virginia — both individuals had traveled to Mexico, and both have recovered. Based on current information and recommendations from public health officials, Mary Baldwin continues to monitor the situation carefully while taking commonsense precautions.

If you get sick, what should you do?

If you have a fever of over 100° Fplusa cough and/or sore throat and/or vomiting or diarrhea, seek medical attention.

In most cases, if flu symptoms begin at night, it is safe to wait until morning to seek medical attention. However, if your symptoms are severe, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Emergency warning signs that you need urgent medical attention:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

Sudden dizziness

Confusion

Severe or persistent vomiting

A summary of basic information about 2009 H1N1 influenza:
What you need to know about the 2009 H1N1 Flu
UPDATE 4/30/09: The Centers for Disease Control report one confirmed death from the virus in the US, a 22-month old from Mexico. Please follow links at the end of the article for up-to-date information.

April 28, 2009

With the increasingly global outbreak of H1N1 influenza A making daily headlines, Mary Baldwin officials are monitoring the situation very carefully and are prepared to act swiftly if needed. No cases have yet been reported in Virginia, and no deaths have been reported outside Mexico. The college has for some years had plans in place for dealing with a potential flu pandemic. In the meantime, we are stepping up awareness on campus and urging students, faculty, and staff to take general flu-season precautions to stay well and protect our community:

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When that’s not available, alcohol-based hand sanitizer gels are effective.

Avoid touching your face, eyes, and mouth.

If you cough or sneeze, do so into a tissue and then throw it away. If you don’t have a tissue, use the elbow of your sleeve instead of your hand.

Sanitize frequently-touched surfaces such as door handles.

If you are in an area where there have been confirmed cases of flu, avoid close contact (including hugs and handshakes) with others, as people can be contagious before they feel sick.

Symptoms to watch for include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and, in some cases, diarrhea and vomiting.

If you feel sick, stay home to avoid exposing others. If you must be around other people (hard to avoid in a residence hall!), be considerate of others by following the steps above.

If you begin to experience severe symptoms, contact your doctor or other health care professional without delay. Several anti-viral medications are effective against this strain of the flu, especially when taken early. However, please contact your health care professional by telephone beforehand to ask for advice on how to minimize possible exposure to others in the health care setting.

MBC’s updated Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan is available for download at www.mbc.edu/docs/admin_docs/pandemic_influenza_plan_042809.pdf.
MBC officials are communicating with local and state health officials, who are coordinating with and following the lead of the national Centers for Disease Control. We are also coordinating with other private colleges in Virginia.

For More Information

The Centers for Disease Control provides the most detailed and up-to-date information: Centers for Disease Control
The Virginia Department of Health posts information specific to Virginia: Virginia Department of Health
The World Health Organization monitors the outbreak on a global scale: World Health Organization
A good summary by the Associated Press: Yahoo News