Jefferson
H1N1 Influenza Information for Parents
For Students
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For Parents
Thomas Jefferson University is committed to the health and well being of its students in light of the anticipated spread of H1N1 nationwide. We have developed this site to provide the most up-to-date information on H1N1 to help our students avoid contracting the virus and assisting those who have.
Our goal is to keep our students and the Jefferson community well informed and as healthy as possible. This site contains information from the CDC and local health authorities and will be updated as new information becomes available. We will also communicate with students, faculty and staff through e-mails, alerts, e-bulletin board notices and other vehicles to keep everyone informed.
As a parent there are things that you can do to prepare your child. We encourage you to:
- Reinforce with your child the proper procedures to avoid the spread of germs: *
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and then throw the tissue in the trash. When a tissue is unavailable, cover coughs or sneezes with your elbow or shoulder instead of your hands.
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
- Talk to your son or daughter now about what would happen if he or she became ill with the flu. Discuss your expectations. A phone call home each day when a student is sick is reasonable.
- Encourage your child to purchase flu prevention supplies (for example, tissues, disposable wipes, hand sanitizer) and flu care products (cold/flu medicine, thermometers).
- Talk to your child about actions he or she must take if a medical condition places him or her at higher risk of flu-related complications (pregnancy, severe illness or underlying health conditions such as severe asthma, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or immune deficiency). If your child does have a medical condition it is important to seek medical attention if he or she experiences flu-like symptoms.
* We have placed hand-sanitizer stations in food areas, residence halls, and other high-traffic locations on campus.
Students who do have flu-like symptoms (fever of 100 degrees F (37.8 C) accompanied by cough, runny or stuffy nose, sneezes, headaches, body aches, chills or fatigue) are being advised to contact University Health Services (UHS) at (215) 955-6835 to speak with a healthcare provider to report their symptoms and get treatment advice. In most cases they will be advised to:
- Stay at home or in their residences and avoid contact with others. In most cases the symptoms will decline within a week without intervention. They should not attend classes or social activities until they are fever-free (without medications) for 24 hours.
- Contact their instructors via email or phone to make arrangements to make up missed work. Our faculty knows students will be told to stay home and will work with students to make up work.
- Contact the advising office in their school to discuss their situation if they are concerned about their academic progress or if they miss more than two class meetings or an exam.
The University is monitoring this situation very closely and staying in contact with public health experts in the event we need to revise our approach to H1N1. With everyone working cooperatively, we can ensure that the Jefferson community maintains a healthy environment in which our students, faculty and staff can live, learn and care for patients.
Latest Info
UNIVERSITY STATUS
The University is open and operating normally.
All students, faculty and staff with flu-like symptoms are urged to remain out of class, the library, offices and other public places. You may resume normal activity only after being fever free for 24 hours (without medication). This applies to those WITHOUT patient care responsibilities.
For up-to-the-minute information about influenza, please see the Centers for Disease Control web site.
For up-to-the-minute information about the Philadelphia area please see the Philadelphia Department of Public Health web site.
For the latest case count in Pennsylvania, please visit the PA Department of Health web site.
STAFF & FACULTY
Inquiries about international travel should be directed to the Office of International Affairs at (215) 503-4335.
