To the campus community:
The following letter advises Colorado College students and their parents about the college’s current planned response to cases of H1N1A influenza. As you know, our students, most of whom are in the especially susceptible under-25 age group, are arriving to campus from all over the United States and many other countries. In addition, our population tends to include many world travelers. Each of these factors raises the likelihood that our campus will experience cases of this virus. In July, 138 members of the U.S. Air Force Academy freshman class were diagnosed with H1N1A; fortunately none had severe symptoms and none were hospitalized.
For all of these reasons, we must communicate plans now. The college’s emergency planning team, PreEMPT, composed of faculty and staff members, has been developing our H1N1A plan and will continue to update it as the situation evolves. Those students who become ill with H1N1A flu will be required to stay isolated in their campus residence for seven days or until they are symptom-free for 24 hours. This will require professors to work with ill students via email or phone to determine if the student will be able to complete his or her course. Recommendations on keeping your classroom or office healthy and basic information on the virus are available here: http://www.coloradocollege.edu/preparedness/flu%20packet.pdf.
Dear CC Students and Parents,
I am writing to inform you about our preparations and plans for responding to the H1N1A influenza virus (swine flu) as we begin the 2009-10 academic year. Our Emergency Management Planning Team (PreEMPT) and the Boettcher Health Center have been monitoring national and international developments regarding this virus since it was first identified in April 2009. The following quote from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Web site http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/ provides relevant background, but briefly:
On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6
CDC anticipates that there will be “more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths associated with this pandemic in the United States over the summer and into the fall and winter. The novel H1N1 virus, in conjunction with regular seasonal influenza viruses, poses the potential to cause significant illness with associated hospitalizations and deaths during the U.S. influenza season.”
Colorado College has experienced three suspected cases of this flu – one during the spring semester and two during our summer programs. In its current form, H1N1A is a relatively mild influenza, similar to seasonal flu in its severity but it is quite contagious and, based on worldwide experience, it appears that that people under the age of 25 are most susceptible to infection. Therefore, we are anticipating the possibility of a larger number of cases of this flu during the fall semester this year.
Most important is for students to stay healthy, and avoid contact with sick individuals. Some tips:
Stay Healthy:
- Get plenty of sleep
- Be physically active
- Manage your stress
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Eat nutritious food
- Avoid alcohol and drug abuse
Protect yourself from getting sick
- The best method for coughing is to cough into the crook of the elbow or cover your nose and mouth with a tissue to cough or sneeze and throw the tissue out after use.
- Wash hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Carry and use alcohol based hand sanitizers. Containers are available at various locations around the college.
- Avoid touching your eyes, ears, nose, and mouth to avoid the spread of germs.
- Try to avoid contact with sick people
- If you get sick, stay home – this includes students, faculty and staff!
- Limit contact with others to keep from infecting them
Bring extra prescription medication
We urge students who take personal medication to bring an extra month’s supply if possible.
If students become ill
We will continue to actively promote good hygiene among students, faculty and staff. Hand sanitizer is provided in common areas of the campus, including the dining halls. We will employ strategies of social distancing and cancel large gatherings as necessary. Students who become ill will be treated at Boettcher Health Center. If there are more cases than can be treated at Boettcher, the health center will care for those students who have other chronic medical conditions that may put them at higher risk for complications. Following CDC guidance, we will isolate other ill students in their regular college residence for seven days or until they are symptom-free for 24 hours (see http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/guidelines_colleges.htm for more details). The college will provide masks and sanitizing products to sick and well roommates, and food and supplies will be delivered to ill students who live on campus. Healthy roommates will still have full access to campus. Students who are ill must communicate via phone or email with their professors about ways they can complete their course, if possible.
If you have chronic medical issues, consult your doctor about obtaining and bringing antiviral medications
Currently, the CDC recommends minimal use of antiviral medications (such as Tamiflu or Relenza) to reduce the possibility of viruses becoming more resistant to them. However, if you have a chronic medical condition, you may be at higher risk for complications of H1N1A and should consult your family physician to determine if you should bring an antiviral medication to campus. These conditions include:
- Chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, hematological (including sickle cell disease), neurologic, neuromuscular or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus)
- Immunosuppression, including that caused by medications or by HIV
- Pregnancy
- Recipients of long-term aspirin therapy (if under 19 years of age)
Consider bringing an emergency preparedness kit
Those who want to take extra personal precautions might consider purchasing an emergency preparedness kit such as those offered at the following site: http://www.readykit.com.
Stay informed Check the following sites for the latest information and guidance:
CDC - http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment - http://www.cdphe.state.co.us
Colorado College Emergency Preparedness - http://www.coloradocollege.edu/news_events/swineflu.asp.
Be assured that the faculty and staff at Colorado College will do all within our means to keep our students informed, healthy and safe during this international pandemic.
Warm regards,
Richard F. Celeste
President