How to Protect Your College Student From the Flu

Dr. Regina Fleming | September 28, 2009

Director of Student Health Services
Regina Fleming-Magit, M.D., MPH

As many parents and family members are aware, influenza has been circulating throughout San Diego since Spring, and can be spread easily from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to help limit the spread of the flu at UC San Diego, but, we need your help! We are working closely with the San Diego Public Health Department to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning the UC San Diego campus community. We will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available to the campus. For now, university staff are doing everything we can to keep our institution operating as usual.
 
Here are a few things you can do to help

• Encourage your student to practice good hand hygiene by washing their hands with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners also are effective.
• Remind your student to practice respiratory etiquette by covering their mouth and nose with a tissue when they cough or sneeze. If they do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into their elbow or shoulder, not into their hands. Tell them to avoid touching their eyes, nose, or mouth; germs are spread this way.
• Provide your student with alcohol-based cleaning wipes or sprays and instruct them to clean commonly used areas, such as computer keyboards, door handles, and desks.
• Make sure your student knows the signs and symptoms of the flu. A fever is a temperature taken with a thermometer that is equal to or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees  Celsius. Tell them to look  for possible signs of fever in others –  if the person feels very warm, has a flushed appearance, or is sweating or shivering.
• Emphasize to your student that they should stay home if they have flu or flu-like illness for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever. This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen). Students should not go to class or work if they have flu or flu-like symptoms.
• Remind your student to promptly seek medical attention if they have a medical condition that puts them at increased risk of severe illness from flu (obesity, pregnancy, chronic lung, heart, kidney or liver disease, diabetes, immunocompromised) OR if they develop severe symptoms such as increased fever, shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, or rapid breathing.
• Encourage your student to visit the Student Health Service Web site for general information, or call if they want to speak to a healthcare provider.

Here are some things Student Health Services is planning to help your student at UCSD:

• Same Day appointments and/or phone triage for students.
• “Sick Kits” containing thermometer, cough syrup, acetaminophen, throat lozenges, hand sanitizer, and tissues for purchase at the Student Health Center.
• “Flu Buddies” to assist with delivery of meals and sick kits, and to check-in with ill students.
• Flu vaccines—both seasonal and H1N1—will be available at the Student Health Center, as well as mini-clinics around campus; check the Student Health Services Web site for information on dates/times/locations. Student Health Services  is still waiting for the H1N1 vaccine, but will notify students by Twitter and on the Student Health Services Web site when it is available
• Sponsoring a student video contest for the best flu prevention U-tube video. The winner will receive cash and prizes, as well as a display on all Wellness Web site and UCSD TV.
• Participating in weekly meetings of the UC San Diego Emergency Operations Committee to share information, continue to update plans, and provide support for the campus as needed.
• Updating information on the Student Health Services Web site and working with TritonLink to ensure accurate and timely sharing of information and services.

Please visit the Student Health Service Web site or the UCSD TritonLink Flu Web page for ongoing updates.