Flu Season is Starting; Get Ready Now

The flu season is starting and will last through the fall and winter. More than one kind of flu virus will be spreading this season, including seasonal flu and the 2009 H1N1 flu. If you get the flu, you can spread it to others at home, at work, and in the community.

Symptoms of flu include fever or chills and cough or sore throat. In addition, symptoms of flu can include runny nose, body aches, headache, tiredness, diarrhea, or vomiting.

If you have the flu symptoms listed above, we are asking that you plan to stay home or in your dorm room until at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medicines (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen).

Also remember to cover your coughs and sneezes and wash your hands often with soap and water. Use an alcohol-based hand cleaner if soap and water are not available. Hand sanitizer dispensers are available in the dining halls. Please use them as you enter.

If a severe flu outbreak hits our community, we will take additional steps to avoid spreading the flu virus on campus.

The University now has a webpage, www.hartford.edu/flu, to provide the latest information for students, faculty and staff.

Be sure to check the web page, read UNotes every day, check your hartford.edu e-mail regularly, and sign up for text alerts at www.hartford.edu/alert. (If you signed up in the past, check to make sure your registration has not expired by going to www.hartford.edu/alert, clicking "Manage Your Account," and logging in with your University of Hartford email user name and password.)

Additional Preparation Steps:

– Get the vaccine for seasonal flu. A flu shot clinic will be held on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Health Services.

– Get the 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine when it becomes available, IF you are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 flu complications. People at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 flu complications include pregnant women and people with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes). For more information about priority groups for vaccination, visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm.

– Students who are sick should go to Health Services on the ground floor of the Sports Center for diagnosis, and then return to their rooms to follow treatment instructions. If they are too sick to leave their rooms they should contact their RA or Public Safety for assistance. Hydration packs can be made available and arrangements made for other needs.

– Faculty and staff should make plans to care for sick household members or for children if schools dismiss students or child care programs close.

– Have the following items on hand in case you get sick and need to stay home or in your room: a supply of fever-reducing medicines that contain acetaminophen or ibuprofen, alcohol-based hand cleaners, tissues, and other items that may be useful and help avoid the need to make trips out in public while you are sick.

– Learn about the flu and what else you can do. To find out more about preparing for the flu, go to www.flu.gov or call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636).

If you have any questions about policies or action steps we can take, please e-mail us at flu@hartford.edu. By working together, we can protect our community while having a productive fall and winter.