H1N1 Update
November 20, 2009
Health services is holding an H1N1 Clinic from 4-8 p.m. on Monday, November 23 in the north gym of the Van Noord Arena for Calvin College faculty, staff and students who meet one of the following requirements to receive the vaccine:
- Health care provider
- First responders for Campus Safety
- Pregnant women
- A chronic medical condition such as: diabetes, heart disease, asthma, kidney or liver disease, chronic blood disorders, cerebral palsy (through age 64)
- Caretakers of children under 6 months
- 24 years of age and under
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday break we continue to see presumed H1N1 cases on campus, although well below the spike in early November when we tracked 100 new cases in one week.
During the week between November 9 and November 16, we identified just 23 new presumed cases of H1N1. That is good news although it means we continue to trend above previous annual flu seasons. More good news: most of our presumed cases have been mild and students are dealing well with their illnesses.
The college's Pandemic Response Steering Committee continues meet regularly to monitor the campus situation. Please continue to refer to the information on this page for assistance in better understanding H1N1 and the seasonal flu.
~ Nancy Ver Merris, director, health services
1. What’s the flu? And what’s the difference between seasonal flu and H1N1 (swine) flu?
Influenza (“flu”) is the name given to contagious respiratory illnesses caused by a variety of influenza viruses. Flu can cause mild to severe illness, even death. Every year in the United States, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes. Some people, such as older individuals, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at higher risk for serious flu complications.
- Seasonal influenza is caused by viruses that are responsible for global seasonal flu epidemics each year. In the U.S., this influenza is experienced during the winter months primarily. Most people have some immunity to seasonal flu. A vaccine is available annually.
- H1N1 (also known as novel H1N1, or swine flu) is a new influenza virus that was first detected in the U.S. in April 2009 and continues to spread around the world. It more commonly affects children and young adults. The virus causes relatively mild illness in most of those infected, but because it is new, most people have no immunity against it. As a result many more people could get the flu this year. For more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.
2. How do I know if I have H1N1?
The symptoms of novel H1N1 flu virus come on fairly quickly and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. While the disease is usually mild, severe illnesses and deaths have occurred.
If you are a student and want to talk to a health care provider about your symptoms, email nurse@calvin.edu. Let us know who you are and where you live. Tell us the best way to communicate with you (email, cell, dorm/house phone?). Since we don’t want you to spread your illness by coming to the health center immediately, we’d like you to communicate first by phone or email.
Should you become very ill, call us to arrange to come in. To learn more about when you should seek medical help, visit http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm.
3. Should I go home?
If you live in the area and can get supportive care at home, you may consider that. Exposing family members (especially those who may have underlying medical problems) should be a consideration in this decision.
4. How can I stay away from class or not go to work? Won’t my professors dock my grades?
The Provost’s office has asked faculty members to work with students who report flu symptoms this fall. Sick students should email their profs and let them know that they are communicating with the health center (via nurse@calvin.edu). Health center staff will not be able to provide written excuses for students but will advocate for those who have communicated with us, in the unlikely event they might run into problems with professors.
Campus administrators prefer that working students not report to work if they are ill!
5. When I can return to my classes or my job?
Flu typically lasts up to 7 days. You are actually contagious for 24 hours before you show signs of illness and until your fever has been gone for at least 24 hours.
If you are sick with a flu-like illness, 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 fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible.
6. What are the residence halls doing to prepare for an outbreak? How will I get food and supplies?
- On-campus students have all been issued disinfecting spray cleaners by custodial staff.
- Personal protective equipment is being made available at the residence hall front desks (face masks and disposable single-use thermometers).
- There is a dorm wing designated for quarantine (in a worst case scenario), but past campus disease outbreaks have been managed well by self-isolation and “social distancing” practices.
- The residence hall staff (RAs and RDs) has been trained to help students who are “confined to quarters.” They will ensure that students have what they need during their illness.
- Off-campus students should seek assistance from housemates, or communicate with us to help coordinate their care should they need additional help.
