Ohio University

 H1N1 (previously referred to as "swine flu") is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. This virus is spreading from person-to-person worldwide, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.

The symptoms of H1N1 flu virus in people include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Illness with the new H1N1 virus has ranged from mild to severe. While most people who have been sick have recovered without needing medical treatment, hospitalizations and deaths from infection with this virus have occurred.

Individual health care providers as well as the Ohio Department of  Health determine when to perform these tests on individual ILI cases.  To date, Hudson Health Center has sent one specimen for H1N1 testing.  The results of that test were positive.

We ask that our University community keep in mind that the general  treatment for ILI, whether it is seasonal influenza or H1N1, is the  same. For this reason it is not essential in most cases to determine  whether they are H1N1 or seasonal flu.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in  the Northern hemisphere, winter is the time for flu. While seasonal  flu outbreaks can happen as early as October, most of the time  influenza activity peaks in January or later. As the time for seasonal  flu is not yet upon us, individuals experiencing influenza-like  illness (ILI) at this time are most likely to have H1N1.

People infected with seasonal and H1N1 flu shed virus and may be able to infect others from 1 day before getting sick to 5 to 7 days after. This can be longer in some people, especially children and people with weakened immune systems and in people infected with the new H1N1 virus.

Spread of H1N1 virus is thought to occur in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something - such as a surface or object - with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

The following vaccines are expected to be available fall 2009:

• Seasonal Flu Vaccine: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that students get vaccinated for seasonal flu; however, there is currently a shortage of this vaccine.  At this time if you have a medical condition that puts you at increased risk if you get influenza (e.g. heart disease, asthma, kidney disease), or if you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system (e.g. long-term steroid treatment, cancer treatment, seizure disorders) please come to Hudson to see one of the medical providers.  Our physicians and nurse practitioners are responsible for placing the order for the influenza vaccine.  The cost of the vaccine is $25.
  
  Information related to vaccine clinics for high-risk employees will be posted in Outlook.
  
  We continue to work with our pharmaceutical vendor to determine when our additional vaccine doses will be shipped.  At this time we do not have a shipping date, but have information that any additional doses will not be shipped until November.  Should we receive additional doses of influenza vaccine you will be kept informed through Outlook.
  

• H1N1 Vaccine: Ohio University has been designated a 2009 H1N1 receiving site. The vaccine will be shipped as it becomes available to the designated sites.

  Once Ohio University receives the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, clinics will be announced
  
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has established target groups to receive the vaccine first. Once the demand for the target groups has been met, everyone should receive the vaccine.
  
  Click here for more information from the CDC on vaccine distribution.
  

If you live in areas where people have been identified with H1N1 flu and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people. The CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) 

Stay away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick. Staying at home means that you should not leave your home except to seek medical care. This means avoiding normal activities, including work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings.

• After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
• Before preparing or eating food
• After going to the bathroom
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has gone to the bathroom
• Before and after tending to someone who is sick
• After handling an animal or animal waste
• After handling garbage
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
  

• Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available.
• Rub hands together to make a lather and scrub all surfaces.
• Continue rubbing hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Imagine singing "Happy Birthday" twice through to a friend.
• Rinse hands well under running water
• Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet

Remember: If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based gel to clean hands.

When using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer:

• Use a product that has at least 60% alcohol as the active ingredient
  
• Apply product to the palm of one hand
• Rub hands together
• Rub the product over all surfaces of hands and fingers until hands are dry.

For a video on effective hand-washing tips, click here.