H1N1 FluH1N1 FluInformation for Specific Information for Specific

GroupsGroupsCDC Data – August 2009CDC Data – August 2009

College of Health SciencesCollege of Health Sciences

Public Health ProgramPublic Health Program

August 26, 2009August 26, 2009

Action Steps for Action Steps for Institutions of Higher Institutions of Higher

Education to Prevent the Education to Prevent the Spread of Flu Spread of Flu

CDC Recommendations 8/20 :CDC Recommendations 8/20 :

•Institutions of Higher EducationInstitutions of Higher Education

•High Risk PopulationsHigh Risk Populations

•TravelersTravelers

•FarmersFarmers

Keeping students, Keeping students, faculty and staff from faculty and staff from getting sick getting sick • Advise sick students, faculty, and Advise sick students, faculty, and

staff to stay at home;staff to stay at home;• Establish a method for maintaining Establish a method for maintaining

contact with students who are sickcontact with students who are sick;;• Encourage students and staffEncourage students and staff at at

higher risk of complications from flu higher risk of complications from flu to check with their health care to check with their health care providerprovider; and; and

• Encourage students, faculty, and staff Encourage students, faculty, and staff to find out if they should get to find out if they should get vaccinated against seasonal flu and vaccinated against seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu2009 H1N1 flu. .

Keeping students, faculty Keeping students, faculty and staff from getting sick and staff from getting sick

• Discourage sick members of the Discourage sick members of the public and sick visitors from public and sick visitors from attending institution-sponsored attending institution-sponsored events;events;

• Encourage students and staff to cover Encourage students and staff to cover their mouths and nosestheir mouths and noses with a tissue;with a tissue;

• Establish regular schedules for Establish regular schedules for frequent cleaning of surfaces and frequent cleaning of surfaces and items;items;

• Provide disposable wipes;Provide disposable wipes;• Encourage students to frequently Encourage students to frequently

clean their living quarters.clean their living quarters.

If flu conditions are MORE severe, If flu conditions are MORE severe, institutions should add the institutions should add the following steps:following steps:

• Allow students, faculty, and staff at Allow students, faculty, and staff at higher risk for complications to stay higher risk for complications to stay homehome. . 

• Find ways to increase social Find ways to increase social distances.distances.

• Extend the time sick students, faculty, Extend the time sick students, faculty, or staff stay home or in their or staff stay home or in their residence.residence.

• Consider how and when to suspend Consider how and when to suspend classes.classes.

Recommendations for Travel to Recommendations for Travel to Areas Reporting H1N1 FluAreas Reporting H1N1 Flu

• CDC recommends that travelers at high risk CDC recommends that travelers at high risk for complications from any form of flu for complications from any form of flu discuss their travel plans with their doctor. discuss their travel plans with their doctor. Together, they should look carefully at the Together, they should look carefully at the H1N1 flu situation in their destination and H1N1 flu situation in their destination and the available health-care options in the the available health-care options in the area. They should discuss their specific area. They should discuss their specific health situations and possible increased risk health situations and possible increased risk of traveling to the area affected by novel of traveling to the area affected by novel H1N1 flu. H1N1 flu.

Travelers at high risk for Travelers at high risk for complications include: complications include: • Children less than 5 years of ageChildren less than 5 years of age• Persons aged 65 years or olderPersons aged 65 years or older• Children and adolescents (less than 18 years) who Children and adolescents (less than 18 years) who

are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and who might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza virus infectionafter influenza virus infection

• Pregnant womenPregnant women• Adults and children who have chronic pulmonary, Adults and children who have chronic pulmonary,

cardiovascular, hematological, neurologic, cardiovascular, hematological, neurologic, neuromuscular, or metabolic disordersneuromuscular, or metabolic disorders

• Adults and children who have immunosuppression Adults and children who have immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by HIV)medications or by HIV)

What to do if you feel What to do if you feel sick while traveling?sick while traveling?

• IIt is expected that most people will recover without needing t is expected that most people will recover without needing medical care.medical care.

• If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, seek medical care.complications, seek medical care.

• A U.S. consular officer can help you find local medical care in a A U.S. consular officer can help you find local medical care in a foreign country. To contact the U.S. embassy or consulate in the foreign country. To contact the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country you are visiting, call Overseas Citizens Services at:country you are visiting, call Overseas Citizens Services at:

1-888-407-47471-888-407-4747 if calling from the U.S. or Canada, if calling from the U.S. or Canada, 00-1-202-501-4444 00-1-202-501-4444 if calling from other countries, orif calling from other countries, or• Avoid further travel for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until Avoid further travel for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until

you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer.you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer.• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

Wash your hands often with soap and running water, especially after Wash your hands often with soap and running water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand gels are also effective.you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand gels are also effective.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.• Follow all local health recommendations. Follow all local health recommendations. For example, if you For example, if you

are sick, you may be asked to put on a surgical mask to protect are sick, you may be asked to put on a surgical mask to protect others or to stay in your home or hotel to prevent the spread of others or to stay in your home or hotel to prevent the spread of novel H1N1 flu.novel H1N1 flu.

People with the following health conditions may face special medical

challenges during flu season:• Pregnancy• Cancer• Blood disorders (including sickle cell disease)• Chronic lung disease [including asthma or chronic

obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)]• Diabetes• Heart disease• Kidney disorders• Liver disorders• Neurological disorders (including nervous system,

brain or spinal cord)• Neuromuscular disorders (including muscular

dystrophy and multiple sclerosis)• People with weakened immune systems (including

people with AIDS or those who are receiving chemotherapy)

Individuals with one of the health conditions listed, during a flu outbreak should:

• Seek medical attention if you have a fever and symptoms of the flu.

• Limit contact with crowds and avoid crowded places.• If you can’t avoid crowded settings, consider wearing

a facemask or respirator to decrease your chances of getting infected. Be careful not to touch your face and wash your hands often.

• It is estimated that staying at least six feet away from a person who sneezes or coughs may be a safe distance.

• Talk with your doctor about having a two-week supply of medication.

Preventing spread of Preventing spread of flu virus from people to flu virus from people to pigspigs

• Influenza is occasionally transmitted from people Influenza is occasionally transmitted from people to pigs. If you have been diagnosed with flu or if to pigs. If you have been diagnosed with flu or if you develop flu-like symptoms, take the steps you develop flu-like symptoms, take the steps listed above: seek medical care, limit your listed above: seek medical care, limit your contact with others, and practice good personal contact with others, and practice good personal hygiene. In addition to limiting your contact with hygiene. In addition to limiting your contact with people, you should avoid contact with pigs. You people, you should avoid contact with pigs. You should also contact your veterinarian if you note should also contact your veterinarian if you note signs of flu in a pig. Notify your veterinarian if the signs of flu in a pig. Notify your veterinarian if the pig became ill two weeks before or after pig became ill two weeks before or after contacting a person with flu-like symptoms. contacting a person with flu-like symptoms.

Recognizing the signs of flu in Recognizing the signs of flu in pigspigs Flu viruses are thought to spread from infected people and Flu viruses are thought to spread from infected people and

pigs to other people and pigs mostly through coughing or pigs to other people and pigs mostly through coughing or sneezing, and through contact with surfaces contaminated sneezing, and through contact with surfaces contaminated by flu viruses. To prevent flu viruses from spreading by flu viruses. To prevent flu viruses from spreading between people and pigs, it is important for people working between people and pigs, it is important for people working with pigs to recognize the signs of flu in pigs. Typically a with pigs to recognize the signs of flu in pigs. Typically a combination of signs will occur together in infected pigs. combination of signs will occur together in infected pigs. Signs of flu in pigs can include any of the following: Signs of flu in pigs can include any of the following:

• sudden onset of fever sudden onset of fever • lethargy, lack of alertness lethargy, lack of alertness • going off feed (poor appetite) going off feed (poor appetite) • coughing (barking) coughing (barking) • discharge from the nose or eyes, eye redness or discharge from the nose or eyes, eye redness or

inflammation inflammation • sneezing sneezing • breathing difficulties breathing difficulties

Preventing spread of flu Preventing spread of flu viruses from pigs to peopleviruses from pigs to people

If possible, people should avoid If possible, people should avoid getting close (within 6 feet) to pigs getting close (within 6 feet) to pigs known or suspected to be infected known or suspected to be infected and/or their environment. However, if and/or their environment. However, if you must come in contact with pigs you must come in contact with pigs known or suspected to be infected, known or suspected to be infected, or their environment, you should use or their environment, you should use appropriate protective measures and appropriate protective measures and practice good personal hygiene.practice good personal hygiene.