Influenza Update
May 05, 2009
The Saint Leo University Health and Wellness Center is continuing
to monitor and inform the university community as needed about the
flu pandemic. At this time, the Centers for Disease Control do not
advise that colleges or universities cancel classes or large
gatherings, and Saint Leo continues to operate normally.
There have been no confirmed cases at SLU.
We remind everyone to practice good hygiene to limit the spread of illness. Please read the guidance below. If you or a family member is sick, stay home and seek medical care.
Teresa Dadez, RN, BSN, Director of the Health and Wellness Center, Saint Leo University at (352) 588-8347 or teresa.dadez@saintleo.edu
Tips on prevention
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the used tissue in the trash.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective if soap and water are not readily available. However, they must be more than 60 percent alcohol. Rub your hands with sanitizer vigorously.
Washing hands vigorously for 15-20 seconds is also essential before or after preparing or eating food, handling garbage, touching a cut or wound, using the bathroom or assisting someone else with personal needs, or handling or cleaning up after an animal.
Try to avoid touching surfaces that may be contaminated with germs.
Facts on the disease itself
Name: It is a contagious, respiratory ailment now being referred to as a novel strain of the H1N1 Influenza, and no longer as the “swine flu.' This is a strain of flu that more commonly appears in pigs, but can and does sometimes infect humans.
Symptoms: The most common symptoms are fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting.
How it spreads: It appears to be spreading now from human to human, mainly through coughing or sneezing, or by touching a contaminated object and then one’s own eyes, mouth, or nose.
Helpful links and resources
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/index.htm
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/
