To: From: Date: Subject:

C.W. Post Campus Community William Milford, Director, Student Health and Counseling Center September 3, 2009 Preparing for Flu Season: H1N1 Influenza Update

By now I’m sure you are familiar with reports of the H1N1 Influenza virus and its anticipated impact on schools throughout New York State and the nation. In preparation for the Fall semester, the C.W. Post Pandemic Flu Committee has spent considerable time establishing a comprehensive plan and guidelines should the pandemic flu affect members of our campus community. In most cases, the H1N1 virus results in mild to moderate symptoms, from which patients recover within seven to 10 days and without complications.

C.W. Post intends to provide the H1N1 flu vaccine when it becomes available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in mid-October. Also in October, the C.W. Post Student Health & Counseling Center will begin offering seasonal flu vaccines to students, faculty and staff at a nominal fee. Classes, events and programs are expected to proceed as scheduled throughout the academic year. If students become ill, we have the technology for faculty to readily communicate and ensure continuity of the educational process. C.W. Post has coordinated its emergency plans with North Shore-LIJ Health System at Glen Cove and is in regular contact with the Nassau County Department of Health.

If You Are Experiencing Flu-Like Symptoms Follow These Steps:

• Students, faculty and staff who become ill are advised to stay home and see their doctors.
• Residential students should immediately contact their families, return home and remain there until 24 hours after symptoms subside. Students should have a plan in place now should they need to leave campus on short notice.
• Residential students unable to return home will be relocated to a campus building designated for voluntary isolation.

To Avoid Becoming Infected, Follow These Simple Steps:
While there is no cure for the flu, we strongly encourage our students, faculty and staff to practice every day actions that are proven to help prevent the spread of the virus that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Please take these basic steps to protect your health:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hand. Alcohol-based hand cleaners also are effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Bacteria spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with individuals who are experiencing illness.
• If you become ill with influenza-like symptoms such as coughing, fever, body aches or sore throat, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that you self-isolate by staying home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

C.W. Post will continue to follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York State Department of Health and Nassau County Department of Health as they are revised and updated. As more information becomes available, we will keep you informed.