H1N1 Flu Information

Dear Brigham Young University Student:

Welcome to Brigham Young University.  Our wish for you is that this will be an enriching and productive school year.  In order to help make this possible, we would like to include you in our plans to help prevent the spread of the flu-or any contagious disease-this year.

As you are aware, health experts are predicting that we will see a continuation of the H1N1 influenza virus.  We also will be experiencing the typical flu season.  Because the flu can be spread so easily from one person to another, we are taking steps to prevent this from happening at BYU to the extent reasonably possible.  However, we need your help.

BYU is working closely with Utah's state and county health departments to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning our campus community.  We will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available to us.

For now, here are a few things you can do to help:

• The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that you talk with your health care providers about whether you should be vaccinated for seasonal flu. Also if you are at higher risk for flu complications from 2009 H1N1 flu, you should consider getting the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available. People at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 flu complications include pregnant women and people with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, heart disease or diabetes). For more information about priority groups for vaccination, visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm.

• Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are effective also.

• Practice respiratory etiquette by covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth; germs are spread this way.

• Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever and cough or sore throat. In addition, symptoms of the flu can include runny nose, body aches, headache, tiredness, diarrhea or vomiting. (A fever is a temperature equal to or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Possible signs of fever include feeling very warm, having a flushed appearance or sweating or shivering.)

• The CDC recommends that if you have the flu or a flu-like illness, you should stay home for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or greater) or signs of a fever. This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications. If your symptoms worsen, contact your health care provider.

• Know your health care options in the event you need to see a health care provider. Make sure you have the required information regarding your health care insurance

• Obtain the e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of at least a few other students in every class who could share notes if you become ill and cannot go to class.

• Alert your professors through email or by telephone if you have the flu or are showing signs of the flu. You should not come to class ill, since your attendance will risk further spread of a serious virus. Communicate with your professors the seriousness of your illness and discuss ways you can submit work and make up any missed work without attending class.

For more information about the flu, please visit www.flu.gov  or http://flu.byu.edu, or call 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636).  We will continue to stay in contact with you either by e-mail or through BYU's Web site.  

Thank you for doing all that you can to stay healthy and reduce the spread of any illnesses.