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H1N1 Influenza

If you have any flu symptoms:  fever above 100F, chills, cough, stuffy nose, sore throat, headache, body aches, fatigue, tired feeling;  send an email to klrosolen@plymouth.edu to report your symptoms.  Include your full name, date of birth, phone number, student ID and place where you live.  Also indicate if you will be able to go home while you are ill if you live on campus.

For those students who cannot go home, Health Services staff will call daily (during office hours) to monitor your course of illness.

If you have a worsening of symptoms, a medical condition that puts you at risk for severe illness from flu, are concerned about your symptoms or develop severe symptoms such as increased fever, shortness of breath, rapid breathing or chest pain/pressure, call Health Services to make an appointment or Speare Memorial Hospital at 536-1120 to speak with someone in the Emergency Room if Health Services is closed.

Conditions/symptoms that would indicate a need for an appointment are:Long term aspirin therapy, pregnancy, asthma, chronic pulmonary conditions, cardiovascular, hepatic, hematological, neurologic, neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders such as diabetes, immunosuppression therapy, autoimmune disease, work with children or have children.

You are advised to practice self isolation.  This means that you should:

• Stay away from classes until you no longer have a fever for 24 hours and are not taking a fever reducing medication (like Tylenol, acetaminophen, Ibuprofen)
• Avoid/limit interactions with other people to not expose them to the virus
• Masks should be worn if close contact cannot be avoided, ie,using a common bathroom
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water when possible or use hand sanitizers
• Cover nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or shirt sleeve or elbow if no tissue is available)
• Use disposable wipes to clean hard surfaces such as doorknobs, desks, computers.  Clean your room frequently.

Notify the Residential Life staff of your dorm that you have influenza symptoms.

The Associate Vice-President of Undergraduate Studies will be updated with the names of those students who have reported flu symptoms.  Maintain communication with your professors while you are unable to attend class.

Self care and fever control:

• Increase intake of clear fluids, such as juices, sports drinks, tea, water
• Bedrest
• Eat a light diet as tolerated
• Take non-prescription medicine for symptoms-if you have no allergies to them.  Do not take aspirin or products with aspirin (including Peptobismol)
• Check your temperature every 4 hours if it is elevated

If you also have any nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, you should:

• When your nausea/vomiting subsides, start with sips of clear liquids such as gatorade, cocacola, gingerale.  Water can upset your stomach.
• Increase the amounts of liquids as they are tolerated
• Advance your diet to crackers/toast and then a light diet as tolerated
• Contact Health Services if vomiting/diarrhea does not subside

For more information regarding H1N1, please visit Plymouth State University's H1N1: Information and Prevention page on the Emergency Information site.