Sick? Take Care, Stay Home
As of Nov. 19, there were about 35 active cases of confirmed or suspected H1N1 flu among students, faculty, and staff. In total, Health Services has reported 184 confirmed or suspected cases of H1N1 within the campus community. This number continues to be a small percentage of the community. Flu cases on campus to date have been relatively mild and most students have recovered in four to five days.
Students who are sick should go to Health Services on the ground floor of the Sports Center for diagnosis, and then return to your room to follow treatment instructions. If you are too sick to leave your room, contact your RA or Public Safety for assistance. Hydration packs are available from Health Services (860.768.6601). Arrangements can be made for food delivery using the Dining Service "Get Well Buddy Form."
Remain in your room and wear a mask, if available and tolerable, when others are around. Don’t go to classes. E-mail your professors to let them know of your illness. Student Affairs can verify your need to be absent from classes if you have been seen by Health Services. If you are diagnosed with the flu at an off-campus health care facility, please notify Health Services by e-mailing norris@hartford.edu so that Student Affairs can be notified.
Faculty and staff who have flu-like symptoms should stay home, contact their department head and/or direct supervisor and visit a health care provider if symptoms are severe. An interim policy change has been implemented for this year only involving paid time off for regular full-time staff who are displaying H1N1 flu-like symptoms. Eligible staff should discuss this policy with their supervisors.
Faculty members, if possible, please notify your students through blackboard or e-mail on how class assignments will proceed.
If you have a confirmed case of the flu, 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 (chills, feeling very warm, a flushed appearance, or sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medicines (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen).
To maintain the best monitoring of the flu outbreak on campus, students, faculty, and staff who have been or are being treated for the flu by private physicians are asked to notify Health Services at 860.768.6601 or norris@hartford.edu. Additionally, all supervisors are encouraged to contact Health Services (ext. 6601) and Human Resources Development (ext. 4666) if a faculty or staff member is absent due to flu-like symptoms.
To help prevent the further spread of flu- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
- Hand-sanitizer dispensers are available in the dining halls and entrances to academic buildings. Please use them as you enter.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with tissue. If a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth; germs are spread this way.
- Get the H1N1 flu vaccine when it is available. Flu clinics will be held on campus and dates will be posted.
- If a severe flu outbreak hits our community, we will take additional steps to avoid spreading the flu virus on campus.
- Bookmark and check this Web page often, 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 e-mail user name and password.)
ProHealth has established a toll-free number to answer questions about H1N1 and seasonal flu: 888.899.0425.
University of Hartford Emergency Numbers
Student Health Services
860.768.6601
Emergency
860.768.7777
Public Safety
860.768.7985
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