Hampshire College

H1N1 Flu Vaccine Available update January 15
It’s not too late to vaccinate for the H1N1 flu. Schedule an appointment for a free H1N1 vaccine by calling Health Services at 559-5458 for an appointment. Although the H1N1 pandemic has retreated from the headlines, this flu season is far from over. Flu is unpredictable, and the H1N1 virus spreads in waves quickly among college students.

327 H1N1 vaccines were given to Hampshire College students, faculty, and staff last semester and there is enough vaccine now available for everyone to be vaccinated. People with asthma and other chronic health conditions are at particular high risk for prolonged illness or complications and should get a flu vaccine as soon as possible.

H1N1 Flu Vaccine Available update November 24
H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine is available for all students and staff at Health Services from 10-11 a.m. and 2-3 p.m. on Monday - Friday beginning Nov. 30 through Dec. 17 while supplies last.

If you cannot come at the designated walk-in hours, call Health Services at 413.559.5458 to schedule an appointment at another time. The vaccine is free and we expect to have both the H1N1 nasal spray and the inactivated H1N1 flu shots.

For more information about the vaccines go to: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/general.htm.

H1N1 Flu Walk-in Vaccine Clinics at Hampshire Health Services update November 16-20
Free H1N1 (swine) Flu Shots are available at Health Services this week for students and staff up to age 64 who have health conditions associated with a higher risk of medical complications from influenza, pregnancy, or are living with an infant under 6 months old.

H1N1 Nasal Spray Vaccine is available for healthy students or employees ages 24 or younger. Walk-in hours on Nov 16-20 are Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 10-11:30 a.m.; Wednesday 1-3 p.m.; and Thursday 3:30-5 p.m. For more information about the H1N1 flu vaccines go to http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/general.htm.

Seasonal Flu Clinic update November 16
Maxim Health Systems is doing a seasonal flu shot clinic on Monday, Nov 16, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Mass Campus Center open to everyone age 9 and over. Cost is $30 and insurance is accepted. For more info go to: http://www.umass.edu/uhs/services/publichealth/

H1N1 Flu Walk-in Vaccine Clinics at Hampshire Health Services update November 12
Health Services has a limited number of vaccine available during the walk-in vaccination hours for any employee ages 24 or younger and any employee who is pregnant or caring for an infant under 6 months of age.

H1N1 (swine) Flu Walk-in Vaccine Clinics at Hampshire Health Services update November 11
Wednesday, November 11, from 9-10 a.m. and Thursday Nov 12 from 1-3 p.m., Health Services will have a walk-in flu vaccine clinic for students ages 24 and younger. The H1N1 vaccines are free and students do not need to schedule an appointment. We are vaccinating high risk students ages 24 and younger with the inactivated H1N1 shot and have a limited amount of the H1N1 nasal spray vaccine for healthy students age 24 and younger.

For more info re these vaccines please go to http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/general.htm.

H1N1 Flu Vaccine for Students at High Risk update November 9
Monday Nov 9, 2-4 p.m. and Tuesday Nov 10, 10-11:30 a.m., Hampshire Health Services will have H1N1 Flu Vaccine Walk-in Clinics for students age 24 and younger who are at high risk for flu complications. The H1N1 flu vaccine is free and no appointment is needed.

Please do not call Health Services because we are currently swamped with phone calls related to ill students. If you have questions about H1N1 vaccines please go to the CDC's H1N1 Vaccination website.

High risk students will be given the inactivated H1N1 shot. Students at high risk for complications of H1N1 flu are those who are pregnant, or who have asthma, diabetes, cerebral palsy, chronic heart, lung, or kidney problems, or are taking medications which suppress the immune system.

We expect to receive more vaccine over the next few weeks and will then be able to vaccinate all students.

Hampshire College H1N1 Flu Update October 26-30
The week of Oct 26-30, Hampshire College students had 17 cases of flu, with no hospitalizations or complications. Monday, November 2, we had 7 cases of flu with more students reporting flu symptoms compared to last week. Please don't go to class if you have flu symptoms and please call Health Services so you can be scheduled for an appointment that day.

Health Services received the first 15 doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine today and will start by vaccinating the student EMTs. Students with chronic health conditions who are high risk for flu will be next and we expect to receive another 25 doses later this week. We will send emails to all identified high risk students.

H1N1 Vaccine
Hampshire College has plans in place to immunize all interested students for the 2009 H1N1 influenza. We hope to begin H1N1 immunizations within the first two weeks in November. Because vaccine is now being released in limited quantities, students at high risk for getting flu will receive the H1N1 vaccine first. High-risk students include the student EMT group, students who are pregnant and those with chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, seizures, cerebral palsy or decreased immunity. If you are someone who should be on the high-risk list and has not yet contacted Health Services, tell them to call 413.559.5458 or email healthservices@hampshire.edu

When H1N1 vaccine is generally available on campus, Health Services will notify the campus community and student families via emails, website and the family blog.

Flu- related Services at Hampshire
Students with flu receive additional campus services to help them recover and to minimize infectious exposure to other students. Services for students with flu include: food delivery to their room, daily phone check-in and medical care from Health Services, emails to professors re class absences, a flu self care kit, and daily check-in from Student Life dean on call. Students who live within a reasonable driving distance from home have been encouraged to go home to recover. The College will notify professors for students who are able to recover from flu at home.

Hampshire College Health Services provides medical treatment for students from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. In addition, the Hampshire student emergency medical technicians (EMTs) have been trained in a flu protocol and are providing triage and flu care kits to students on evening and weekends.

Students who need medical evaluation on weekends and evenings are referred to the UMass Health Services daily until midnight or the Cooley-Dickenson Hospital Emergency Department.

Recognizing Flu Symptoms
Flu symptoms include sudden onset of fever, chills, cough, sore throat, congestion, and body aches. Flu symptoms are similar to the common cold, just much more severe and sudden. Students have been notified about flu prevention and campus services through posters in dorms and email messages; however, families, friends, staff and faculty play a vital role in encouraging care. If your student tells you about flu-like symptoms, please encourage a phone call to Health Services to we can provide them appropriate medical care and campus services.

H1N1 Flu
As the new year opens, Hampshire College has been planning how to best respond to the possibility of a resurgence of the novel H1N1 (swine) flu infection within the campus community.

Flu Clinics at Hampshire College will be announced. Health Services is currently in the planning phase for seasonal flu immunization clinics.

• Novel H1N1 Vaccine
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health 
• Center for Disease Control 
• World Health Organization 

Prevention of flu

The best way to prevent flu is to avoid contact with the viruses which cause flu. Wiping down shared surfaces, washing your hands frequently, and avoiding touching your nose, mouth, and eyes are simple precautions everyone can follow.

Student can also keep themselves healthy by not smoking and avoiding second-hand smoke, getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, exercising daily, and managing their stress.

Immunization against the regular seasonal flu and the novel H1N1 type A (swine flu) is the best way to ensure you will not become ill. Hampshire Health Services will have vaccine available for both seasonal and swine flu. Check the website for information re immunization clinics on campus. We expect to have seasonal flu vaccine by the second week in September and the H1N1 vaccine by early November.

Symptoms of flu are:

• Sudden onset of symptoms
• Fever greater than 38 C or 100 F
• Respiratory symptoms of cough, sneezing, nose congestion, or sore throat
• Body aches and/or headache

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Planning for flu

While everyone hopes to avoid infection with the flu, it's wise to plan now for what you might do if you were to get the flu.

People who become sick with the flu aren’t usually given much time to realize what hit them. While most people experience a relatively mild illness, some have described the flu as feeling like they just got hit with a ton of bricks.

If you become ill, could a family member come and get you so that you could recover at home? Perhaps a nearby friend or relative can offer a quiet space for you to recover? Hampshire College is requesting that all students who live within 250 miles of campus make plans to leave campus should they become sick.

If you are unlikely to return home to recover from flu, you will need to be isolated in your own single room or in a separate space on campus. Health Services, Public Safety, and the Dean of Students Office have coordinated isolation services on-campus; however, students may want to plan ahead to be sure they have necessary items should they be isolated for several days.

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Isolation on Campus

If you become sick with flu and are not able to go home or make other arrangements to leave campus, Health Services or Public Safety will contact the dean on-call to arrange isolation services on campus. You will need this temporary arrangement until 24 hours after your fever has gone away. For most people this means 2-4 days after the onset of flu symptoms.  If you need to go out of your isolation area for a visit to Health Services or to use a common restroom, put on a surgical mask, practice good hand hygiene, and stay six feet away from other people.

While you are isolated on-campus in your room or other space Hampshire College staff will arrange for:

• Delivery of a flu self-care kit (thermometer; acetaminophen and ibuprofen; cough drops; surgical masks; hand sanitizer; and tissues)
• Meals from dining services
• Daily medical checks via phone calls from health services
• Daily check-in from the dean on-call

You should bring or arrange to have:

• Comfortable clothing for resting and sleeping
• Personal hygiene items
• Cell phone and charger
• Laptop computer and charger
• Coursework and reading material
• Any regular medications you take
• Any comfort food or fluids that will help you to feel better, such as fruit, juices, sports drinks, herbal teas, or soups

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Self-care for a Person with Flu

Regardless of the type of flu you have (seasonal flu, H1N1, etc.), it is important to take care of yourself...and other people.

Go home, to your single room, or to temporary alternate housing and rest up! Call Health Services to determine if your symptoms are the flu and to see if you need more medical evaluation. Students who live within 250 miles of campus should return to their home to keep from making other sick. Students who are not able to leave campus should remain in their room and receive isolation services.

If you are sick, let Health Services know, so we can arrange for appropriate services.

Keep your distance (at least 6 feet) from others. Stay out of classes, work, social events, public transportation, etc. until you have been symptom-free for at least 24 hours. (Fever should be absent without the use of fever-reducing medicine. A cough may linger, but is not considered reason to stay out of circulation.)

Monitor your temperature. Fever can be dehydrating, so push fluids!

Take in adequate nutrition to support your immune system. Food that are easy to digest and provide fluids include soups, smoothies, and yogurt.

Treat symptoms with acetaminophen/Tylenol or ibuprofen/Advil for aches and pains (NOT aspirin or aspirin-containing medicines), throat lozenges, and decongestants. You should continue to take your usual prescription medications. Treatment with antiviral medications is recommended only for those at high risk of severe complications and those seriously ill. Treatment with antibiotics is not effective because the flu is caused by a virus.

Limit the spread of the flu virus by using good hygiene, hand sanitizers, cleaning supplies, etc. Wear a surgical facemask if you must be near other people. Health Services, Residence Life, and Hampshire EMTs will provide surgical facemasks for all students with documented flu.

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If You Feel Worse with the Flu

Call Health Services at 413.559.5458 if you have particular risks or if your symptoms become worse. When Health Services is closed after 5 p.m. or on the weekends, you can call the triage nurse at the University of Massachusetts Health Services at 413.577.5000 or the Hampshire College Public Safety Office for an on-campus EMT evaluation at 413.559.5555.

Warning Symptoms are:

• Confusion or difficulty thinking
• Shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing
• Bloody sputum
• Severe chest pain
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
• Low blood pressure
• Unidentified rash 
• Severe headache or neck pain

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High Risk for Flu Complications

Generally, students can manage recovery at home or in their rooms with little or no medical attention. Certain students are, however, at higher risk of serious flu-related complications, and should consult with Health Services or their health care provider immediately after the onset of flu-like symptoms. Students at high risk of complications from flu include: pregnant women and students with asthma; diabetes; immune-suppression; and certain heart, lung, kidney, and liver diseases.

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Use of Antiviral Medications and Antibiotics

Public health authorities have issued clear guidelines regarding the use of antiviral medications for the prevention and treatment of flu-like illness in the present situation. Prescription antiviral medications (such as Tamiflu® and Relenza®) should be used only when needed and used correctly. Because the flu is caused by a virus, antibiotics are not effective at all.

Antiviral medications can be very helpful to those who, because of underlying health conditions, could get very sick and to those who develop severe illness. Indiscriminate use of antiviral medications to prevent and treat influenza, however, could ease the way for drug-resistant strains of the novel H1N1 virus to emerge, making the fight against a pandemic much harder. Novel H1N1 already is resistant to two of the available antiviral medications (amantadine and rimantadine).

People with flu-like illness who present with uncomplicated symptoms do not require treatment unless they are at higher risk for influenza complications. Most patients with novel H1N1 flu have a self-limited respiratory illness similar to seasonal influenza and get better on their own.

Anti-viral medication treatment is recommended for all hospitalized patients with confirmed, probable, or suspected novel H1N1 influenza and for patients who are at higher risk for seasonal influenza complications.

People with high risk health conditions and pregnant women with a known exposure to someone with flu-like illness should be evaluated for possible preventive treatment with antiviral medication.

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Lessen the Spread of Flu in your Dorm, Mod, or Home

• When providing care to a friend or family member who is sick with flu, keep the sick person away from other people as much as possible; especially others who are at high risk for complications from influenza.
• Sick people should keep a distance of 6 feet from others and should wear a surgical mask when exposure to others is necessary.
• Remind the sick person to cover their coughs, and clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often, especially after coughing and/or sneezing. 
• Cough or sneeze into a shirt sleeve or elbow if no tissue is available.
• Have everyone in the dorm or mod clean their hands often, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Clean high-touch surfaces frequently (bathrooms, doorknobs, tables, keyboards, phones).
• Contact Health Services if household contacts (roommates or close friends) of the sick person are pregnant or have a chronic health condition. People who with chronic conditions or pregnancy may need to take antiviral medications to prevent the flu.

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Testing for Flu

Health services follows guidelines of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health regarding who should be tested for influenza (including novel H1N1). Diagnosis of swine flu is now based upon clinical assessment of symptoms and knowledge about the presence of the virus in the community.

Flu tests are not done routinely, even for those with symptoms, because rapid flu tests are not accurate in cases of swine (novel H1N1) flu 40- 69% of the time. The rapid flu test may be a false negative, meaning you actually have the swine flu, but your flu test says you do not.

If your symptoms indicate, health services may do testing to be sure you don’t have another illness that can have similar symptoms such as strep throat or mono.

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Treatment of Complications Related to the Flu

Health services can help if you develop complications related to the flu. It is not unusual for people with flu to have a lingering dry cough or fatigue for up to two weeks following the onset of flu symptoms.

Some people also develop secondary bacterial infections such as ear infections, sinus infections, or bacterial pneumonia in the second week of their illness. Check with Health Services or another healthcare provider if your flu symptoms become worse after the first four days of flu.

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Recover & Stay Out of Circulation

The goal of staying out of circulation is to give ill individuals the space and time to recover, while also protecting others from exposure to illness. Anyone with flu-like illness should get out of circulation as soon as symptoms arise.

Sick people should stay away from work, classes, parties, meetings, sporting events, gyms, and public transportation.

People with flu should stay home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines. Going back to work or class before a person is well puts him or her at risk of a setback in recovery or making an illness worse. 

The faculty is aware students will be missing classes from the flu and will help you to arrange for make-up work. 

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