The Human Swine Flu Outbreak

A UIC pandemic task force is preparing for an influx of H1N1 influenzapatients this fall, but so far no cases have been reported at UIC since the semester began. http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/uicnews/articledetail.cgi?id=13411

Dear UIC Students,

Fall marks the beginning of flu season, and novel H1N1 influenza will inevitably affect the UIC campus. In the southern hemisphere where it is winter, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand and Australia have experienced their worst flu outbreaks in the past ten years. It is important to take action to protect yourself from influenza and to minimize the risk of spreading the illness if you do get sick. All college students are susceptible to novel H1N1, and a huge number are predicted to get it.

Most who catch H1N1 flu will recover within a few days just as with regular flu. Hospitalization and death due to flu are uncommon, those who succumb to it are often young people, who may or may not have other health problems or risk factors.

Influenza spreads from person to person when droplets, shed through the nose or mouth of the sick person through coughing or sneezing end up touching the eyes, noses, and mouths of well people. These droplets travel in the air only 5 - 6 feet, but they can remain infectious on hands and environmental surfaces as long as a day, possibly longer. This knowledge informs us how to prevent influenza: stay away from the droplets.

People with the flu feel terrible. Symptoms include:

* high fever, shaking chills * bad headache * sore throat * bad cough * all their bones and muscles hurt

There are steps to protect yourself and others from flu:

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. If a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into the bend of your elbow rather than into your hands.

*Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

*Clean your hands after using the bathroom, before eating, or after handling shared objects such as pens, phones, and door knobs.

*Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Viruses and germs spread this way.

*Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

Get vaccinated:

*H1N1 flu is not the only flu virus circulating. A yearly seasonal flu vaccine is important in protecting against seasonal influenza. The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the three seasonal viruses that research suggests will be most common. Free seasonal flu vaccinations will be provided to students on September 29 at Student Center East and October 6 at Student Center West. Please watch for an announcement.

*The seasonal flu vaccine will probably not protect you against novel H1N1. A new vaccine against novel H1N1 is being produced and will be available in the coming months. When it becomes available, students should also get vaccinated. People at greatest risk for novel H1N1 infection include children, pregnant women, and people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease.

If you do become sick with flu-like illness:

*Stay home as much as possible until your fever is gone for at least 24 hours, except to get medical care or for other necessities.(Your temperature should be normal without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from infecting them. You should not go to class or eat in a dining hall, ride a bus or go to a public event. Due to the large population and close quarters of the residence halls, if you live in campus housing we recommend that you return to your permanent home to recover, if possible. If you must remain on campus, make arrangements for meals to be brought to your room. Dining Services will permit this.

*Drink plenty of fluids. Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) to control fever, chills, headache and body aches.

*Get emergency care if you have the following symptoms: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath; chest or abdominal pain or pressure; dizziness or confusion; severe or persistent vomiting.

*If you are ill, contact your family physician or the UIC Family Medicine Center at 312-996-2901.

Updated campus information on seasonal flu and H1N1 flu will be posted online at uic.edu and sent by Official e-mail. For more information on flu visit the following websites:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: flu.gov U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.gov.

Dr. William Chamberlin Chief Medical Officer University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago