H1N1 Preparedness

September 24th, 2009

By OCS

Carleton College’s Pandemic Flu Preparedness Team has been meeting regularly since the spring, planning the College’s response to a likely outbreak on campus and thinking about how to minimize risk and provide support to students studying off-campus. More information on College policies can be found on the dedicated Pandemic Flu web page at http://go.carleton.edu/flu.

Students on Carleton seminars in Berlin and Madrid are requested to report influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms to their faculty director. If a visit to a clinic or hospital is indicated, the Faculty Director will make the necessary arrangements. Host families have agreed to care for sick students and masks will be made available to both sick students and their host families. Germany has ordered 50 million doses of vaccine that it hopes to receive by late September, although delivery may be delayed into October. Spain has ordered enough vaccine to protect over 60 percent of its population. OCS will monitor vaccine availability in both countries and arrange for students to receive their vaccine as soon as it becomes available.

In addition, we are asking everyone to take personal responsibility; if you do fall ill please do everything you can not to spread the illness to others, following the protocols set forth by the CDC. All students should have a thermometer, tissues, and ibuprofen or acetaminophen (but not aspirin) for their personal use. Regular hand washing (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/health/15well.html?emc=eta1) and use of sanitizing supplies when available are important preventative measures. Adequate sleep and a healthy diet is key to staying healthy.

Students on non-Carleton programs are asked to follow the advice of their program sponsor in order to stay healthy and minimize the spread of disease.

Students registered for Winter Break 2009 and Winter and Spring 2010 programs are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to be vaccinated for both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu either on campus or at a local clinic.

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