eCampus | Student Services

H1N1 Flu Information

Influenza and H1N1 Precautions
September 2009

Notice: October 16, 2009 Update
The Visiting Nurse Association has postponed our flu clinic scheduled for Tuesday due to a delayed shipment of the flu vaccine.  All area VNA flu clinics in the area have been postponed until further notice.  We will keep you informed as we reschedule.

Notice: October 20, 2009
Franklin Pierce will be holding a private flu clinic for all faculty, staff and students from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (sorry, not for family members)

If you are covered by Anthem health insurance (must be prefix of YG or NH), Medicare or Medicaid there is no cost to you, just bring your card. Additional insurance companies may reimburse if a claim is filed, please check with your provider. Cost per flu shot without insurance is $25 payable in cash or check.

This flu clinic is for the seasonal influenza vaccine, not the H1N1 vaccine, which will not be available to the public until later in the season.

There is no need to make an appointment, it will be on a first come, first serve basis. The location will be on campus.

The health care experts are predicting a larger number of flu cases than average this year, so we are encouraging everyone to take part.

We are expecting a heavier than usual flu season and would like to do all we can to keep everyone healthy.  The most important thing to remember: If you have the flu, don’t bring it to school - stay at home and recuperate.   

Our professors are relaxing their attendance policies for those students who catch the flu so if you have flu like symptoms, please stay home until 24 hours after your fever disappears and you no longer need to take fever-reducing medicines. 

If you think you have the flu

  • IF you’re sick, stay home!  Stay home until at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen).
  • Flu-like symptoms include:  fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle aches.  Stomach symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea also can occur but are more common in children. 
  • Spreading the flu virus: mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. You may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before your own symptoms develop and up to 5 days after becoming sick.  

Prevention techniques

  • Practice good hand hygiene. You should wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are available at each computer station throughout the building.  
  • Practice respiratory etiquette. Flu spreads from person to person in droplets produced by coughs and sneezes.  It’s important that you cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, you should cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not your hands.
  • Talk to you health care providers about flu vaccinations.  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).   Please consider getting a season flu shot as well to avoid becoming weakened and more vulnerable to infection from H1N1.

For more information about priority groups for vaccination, visit

www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm

 

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