Resources for Residential Students

Flu is a potentially serious contagious disease, and we will likely be encountering a lot of influenza and influenza-like illness in the USD community in the coming months. Influenza viruses are thought to spread easily from person to person, mainly through coughs and sneezes. Influenza viruses may also be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets on another person or an object, and then touches his own mouth or nose (or someone else’s mouth or nose) before washing his hands.  Influenza spreads readily in crowded environments such as dormitories.  It is important for dormitory residents to take special care in preventing the spread of flu. Below are some specific recommendations for dormitory residents at USD.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges you to take the following actions to protect yourself and others from influenza (the flu):

Take time to get vaccinated.

• Remember there will be two different flu vaccines this year—seasonal flu vaccine and H1N1 flu vaccine.
• CDC recommends a yearly seasonal flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against seasonal influenza. The seasonal flu vaccine may be available as early as September this year.  An H1N1 vaccine is being developed, and should be available later in the fall to persons for whom it is recommended.
• Vaccination is especially important for people at high risk of serious seasonal flu complications, including young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older.
• Contact the Student Health Center for information about flu vaccine availability this Fall.

Take everyday preventive actions.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

 

If You Get Sick With the Flu or Flu-Like Symptoms:

• If you are able to go home (or to a friend’s or relative’s house where you can recover), this may be preferable in order to minimize the chance of spreading the virus to roommates and dorm-mates.  Do NOT travel by public transportation while you are ill.
• If you are in a group at high risk for flu complications, or are a caretaker or close contact of someone who is high-risk, contact the Student Health Center at ext. 4595 for recommendations regarding medications to treat influenza to lessen its severity.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• While sick, limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. Stay in your dorm room.  Do not have visitors to your room.
• Contact your RA or CD to arrange to have meals delivered to your room.
• Wear a surgical mask if you are in close contact with other people, or if you go out into common areas, including shared bathrooms.  Masks are available from the residential staff or from the Student Health Center.
• It is important that you self-isolate, -- stay home (or in your dorm room), and don’t go to class, dining facilities, or work until you are fever- free for 24 hours (temperature less that 100 degrees F without the use of fever-reducers.) This is VERY IMPORTANT to protect our campus community
• Contact your professors by email to let them know you are sick with the flu.  The professors are aware of the self-isolation recommendation, and they will make arrangement for you to make up any work missed.  You will NOT require a doctor’s note to excuse your absence from class.
• See What to Do and how to treat the Flu for more information on self-care during your illness.
• If you have questions or concerns about your illness, call the Student Health Center (ext. 4595) to speak with a healthcare provider.  It is recommended that you call before coming in to the Health Center, unless you are experiencing warning signs (below).

Warning Signs

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care. You may call the Student Health Center at (619)260-4595 during open hours (8:30am-4:30 pm M,T,Th,F; and 10:30-6:30 Wed.)  If symptoms are severe, or if the Health Center is closed, seek care at a local Urgent Care or ER, or contact the USD medical provider on call by calling Public Safety at ext. 7777.
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Significant or persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

 

If Your Roommate or Dorm-mate is Sick With the Flu

• If you are in a group at high risk for flu complications, contact the Student Health Center (ext. 4595) for recommendations regarding medications to prevent influenza infection.  Try to avoid any close contact (within 6 feet) with any person ill with the flu.
• Your roommate or dorm-mate may consider going home or to a relative’s home, to recover if possible. 
• USD is not able to provide alternate living accommodations for ill students or their roommates. If you are able to find other living accommodations while your roommate is ill, that is an option you can explore.
• Try to limit close contact with the ill person, while providing as much support as possible.
• Take everyday preventive measures (See “Prevention”, above). 
• Encourage ill roommates or dorm-mates to wear a mask any time they are in close contact (within 6 feet) with others.  Masks are available from residential staff, or from the Student Health Center.
• Remind the sick person to cover his cough, and to wash his hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleaners (especially after coughing or sneezing).
• Assist your roommate or dorm-mate in contacting residential life staff for meal delivery while he/she is ill. 
• Check on your roommate often.  If you have concerns about his/her condition, contact the residential life staff.

• Use paper towels for drying hands after hand washing or dedicate cloth towels to each person in the household. For example, have different colored towels for each person.
• If possible, try to maintain good ventilation in shared household areas (e.g., keeping windows open in restrooms, kitchen, bathroom, etc.).
• Learn more about how to take care of someone who is ill in the CDC document "Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home".

 

 

Household Cleaning, Laundry, and Waste Disposal

• Throw away tissues and other disposable items used by the sick person in the trash. Wash your hands after touching used tissues and similar waste.
• Keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom,) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.
• Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first.
• Wash linens (such as bed sheets and towels) by using household laundry soap and tumble dry on a hot setting. Avoid “hugging” laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating yourself. Clean your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub right after handling dirty laundry.
• Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap.

 

FAQ’s

Q:  Where can I get a flu shot?  When will they be available?

A:  The Student Health Center will have seasonal flu vaccine, and possibly the H1N1 vaccine. The seasonal flu vaccine may be available as early as September this year.  An H1N1 vaccine is being developed, and should be available later in the fall to persons for whom it is recommended.  Contact the Student Health Center at ext. 4595 for further information.

Q:  Who should get a flu shot?

A:  Remember there will be two different flu shots this year, seasonal flu and H1N1 flu.  For more information, see Seasonal and H1N1 Flu vaccination.

Seasonal Flu vaccine will be available in early September this year. It is a single-dose vaccine (in adults), and is available as an injectable vaccine or a nasal spray. Though it is usually available for anyone who wants it, the seasonal flu vaccine is recommended for those who are more likely to get complications from seasonal influenza:

• people age 65 years and older
• people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, lung disease or heart disease)
• pregnant women, and
• children age 6 months to 18 years

H1N1 Flu Vaccine will likely be available sometime this Fall.  It will probably be a 2-dose vaccine, with doses 3-4 weeks apart. H1N1 vaccine may be in limited supply, so it may be available only for high-risk persons, especially early on.

H1N1 vaccine is recommended for those people at high risk for serious illness or complications for H1N1 flu:

• people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, lung disease, or heart disease)
• pregnant women, and
• People under the age of 25 (priority given to those under 5)

Q:  Where can I get a mask to use while I’m sick?

A:  Check with the residential life staff.  Masks should be available for those who are ill.  You may also call the Student Health Center at ext. 4595.

Q:  Should I go home if I’m sick with the flu?

A:  If you are able to get home (or to a friend’s or relative’s house where you can recover) in a private vehicle, that may be the best option for you to recover comfortably and to avoid spreading the flu within your dorm. 

It is NOT recommended that you use any public transportation while you are sick with the flu.  It is important that you stay away from crowds to avoid spreading the virus.

Q:  If my flu symptoms are gone, can I go back to class and go back to eating in the cafeteria right away?

A:  It is VERY important that you self-isolate until 24 hours after your fever is gone (lower than 100 degrees F without the use of fever reducers).  You may still be contagious even after you feel better.  Once your fever is gone for 24 hours, you may return to class and to public areas, but continue to be careful about covering your cough and washing your hands. Please do your part to prevent others from catching the flu virus.  Remember, some people may get severely ill from the flu—don’t put others at risk!

Q:  What about missing classes if I am sick?

A:  All USD professors have been notified that at the present time, the CDC, the California Department of Public Health, and the San Diego County Public Health Department all recommend that persons sick with the flu stay home until they have been free of fever (100 degrees F or lower without the use of fever reducers) for at least 24 hours. The USD administration fully supports this policy. Professors will accommodate ill students accordingly.

Further Information:

Additional Resources are available and frequently updated at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/ and http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.

3 Important Steps to Prevent Flu

What to do if you Get Flu-Like Symptoms 

Adapted from: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance_homecare.htm