To the Ohio University Campus Community:

Earlier today, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised its flu warning to its highest level, or a Phase 6 alert, declaring a global influenza epidemic as cases of H1N1 influenza A continue to increase.

To keep you informed, we would like to share with you the latest information from health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and tips for staying healthy. Specifically, the raised alert level signifies only that the virus is circulating widely in the U.S. and globally. It does not mean that the severity of illness as a result of the virus is increasing. According to Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO, the overwhelming majority of patients experience mild symptoms and make a rapid and full recovery, often in the absence of any form of medical treatment.

Both Ohio University and the Athens community have remained free of any confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza A and have used this opportunity to complete response planning in cooperation with county health officials.

The university has already implemented, or is in the process of implementing, CDC recommendations for institutions of higher education in response to the virus. These measures include working with our student health center to track and report influenza-like illness to the county health department and reviewing university plans for responding to a public health emergency to ensure they are up-to-date. To read the CDC's recommendations for institutions of higher education in response to the virus, visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/college-alert.htm.

At all times, the safety of students, faculty and staff remains our top priority. We believe communication to you is an essential part of our response strategy and the university will use Outlook and the Emergency Information link from the university home page as our primary communication channels.

We also believe the most reliable information -- including frequently asked questions about H1N1 -- is available from two sources:

• For information about H1N1 in Ohio, go to the Web site of the Ohio Department of Health.
• Information about U.S. and global H1N1 is best found at the CDC Web site at www.cdc.gov/. To receive regular e-mail updates from the CDC, visit www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/.

I want to again emphasize the most important prevention and illness tips here for your information:

What should I do to keep from getting the flu?

• Wash hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. Scientists estimate that people are not washing their hands often or well enough and may transmit up to 80 percent of all infections by their hands. For a video on effective hand-washing tips, visit www.cdc.gov/CDCTV/HandsTogether/
• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Stay home if you get sick with influenza and see your doctor. Also, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

What should I do if I get sick?

If you have a concern about exposure or experience flu-like symptoms -- including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue -- you should see a medical provider immediately. For information on Ohio University's Student Health Service (SHS) hours, visit www.ohio.edu/hudson/shs.

Students who experience symptoms outside of SHS hours should visit the O'Bleness Memorial Hospital emergency room.

Sincerely,

David Hopka
Assistant Vice President
Safety and Risk Management

The Ohio Department of Health also has established a community information hotline. Call 1-866-800-1404 for answers to your questions about swine flu. The Ohio Swine Flu Information Line is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.