H1N1 Update

October 30, 2009 |

Dear Members of the Goucher Community,

I want to give you a quick update on how Goucher College is continuing to manage the H1N1 virus.  Since the start of the fall semester, close to 150 students (and about 10 faculty/staff) have reported flu-like illness.  Except for those who have become sick very recently, all of these students and faculty and staff members have recuperated and are back to their normal routines on campus.  It seems that most people with symptoms are quite sick for a day or two, and then they begin to improve.  Total recovery time has generally been five to seven days. 

So far, the trend of illness has been erratic at best.  One week we might have nine students report flu-like illness, and the next week we have two, and the following week the number is back up again.  Last weekend, President Barack Obama declared the H1N1 virus a national emergency, and on Wednesday, the American College Health Association reported that many college campuses are experiencing a surge in flu cases. 

In addition, as you may have read in the papers or heard on the national news, the H1N1 vaccine is being distributed more slowly than health officials initially hoped.  The director of Goucher’s Student Health Center is in regular contact with the Baltimore County Department of Health, but we have not yet been given a date for when the allotment for Goucher students will arrive.  At this point, I can’t even tell you if we will get the vaccine before the end of the semester.  According to health department officials, however, children and young adults between the ages of six months and 24 years are among the priority populations for the H1N1 vaccination.  

We continue to monitor carefully those Goucher students who report flu-like symptoms; our Pandemic Flu Committee continues to meet regularly to stay informed; and we continue to urge members of our community to take the necessary precautions to keep from getting sick.  In addition, we have held two seasonal (not H1N1) flu clinics for students, and vaccinated approximately 200 students.  We also held a seasonal flu clinic for faculty and staff.

I want to stress again to all of our students that if you experience flu-like symptoms, contact the Student Health Center at 410-337-6050.  On weekends and after normal business hours, call Goucher’s 24-hour medical hotline at 866-330-2885.  If your flu-like symptoms do not improve within five days, contact the Student Health Center again.  I also urge faculty or staff members who experience flu-like symptoms to stay home, and let the Provost’s Office, your supervisor, or the Office of Human Resources know that you are sick. 

Students: Please note that if you experience flu-like symptoms, it is imperative that you self-isolate in your room until at least 24 hours after you are free of fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit; 37.8 degrees Celsius per the Centers for Disease Control) or signs of a fever – without the use of fever-reducing medications.  If you have to leave your room for any reason, even to use the restroom, be sure to use the face mask that is included in the flu kit you receive.  Please be respectful of the health and well-being of other community members.  Once you have reported your illness to the Student Health Center, the Office of the Vice President/Dean of Students will contact your professors to let them know that you are ill.  Professors may be able to provide you with coursework that can be completed remotely. 

For the latest news, updates, and relevant links, visit our H1N1web page at www.goucher.edu/H1N1.  I will continue to keep you updated on further developments.

Sincerely,

Sanford J. Ungar

President