Procedures for Responding to Suspected H1N1 Cases
Students who have flu-like symptoms—fever of 100 F or greater, cough, muscle aches, fatigue—should call or visit the Health Center. If a student isn’t sure symptoms merit contacting the Health Center, he or she should talk it over with an RA, faculty member, coach, work supervisor or public safety officer.
Health Center
606 University Ave.
Weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ...... 570-372-4385
After hours and weekends ......................... 570-374-9164
If students call the Health Center after hours, calls will be answered by Evangelical Hospital staff, who will notify on-call Health Center staff as quickly as possible. Students who are waiting for a return call from the Health Center should stay in their residence hall rooms alone if roommates are willing and able to offer that option. The on-call Health Center nurse will assess the symptomatic student and provide instructions as follows:
If H1N1 is suspected:
> The student will be given a mask to prevent spread of infection.
> Health Center staff will ask the student for a list of social contacts to be notified of potential exposure. These would include, for example, roommates; girlfriends, boyfriends or partners; and people who may have shared lip balm or lipstick, food or drink.
> A parent or guardian will be contacted to pick up the student for recovery at home.
> While the student waits for a parent or guardian to arrive, he/she will be directed as follows:
- Return to the residence hall room or house, or an appropriate alternative location, and remain there until a parent or guardian arrives.
- If a student presents complicating or high-risk factors such as a chronic medical condition (asthma, diabetes, heart disease) or pneumonia, the student will be transported to Evangelical Hospital. Students with a suspected case of H1N1 who are unable to return home because of distance or extraordinary circumstances will be placed in empty student living quarters, if available, or in accommodations at 610 University Ave. for the duration of their illness.
Students presumed to have the flu who refuse to isolate themselves from others until a parent or guardian arrives or their illness has passed will be subject to provisions outlined under “endangering others” in the Student Handbook.
Students may return to campus once they recover—at least 24 hours after fever has subsided (without the use of fever-reducing medicine), usually five to seven days after the onset of first symptoms. They should not return until they are well. Their first responsibility is to avoid endangering the health of fellow students, faculty and the rest of the campus community.
For roommates of symptomatic students:
> Healthy students should consider whether they are willing and able to offer a symptomatic roommate time alone in the residence hall room or house while he or she waits for a Health Center call-back and/or a parent or guardian to arrive.
> Continue prevention measures such as washing hands and covering coughs.
> Healthy students who are concerned about contagions in their living quarters can obtain a mask from the RA.
> Roommates of students who have been diagnosed with influenza-like illness should expect to be contacted by the Health Center. They do not need to seek health care, however, unless they have flu-like symptoms or if they have an underlying, compromising chronic illness.
