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PREPARING FOR INFLUENZA AT PENN
November 2009
The University of Pennsylvania continues to monitor the international outbreak of novel H1N1 influenza and prepare for the possibility that this world-wide pandemic will significantly impact our campus during the upcoming academic year. We continue to work closely with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and other health officials to help reduce the risk of infection for the Penn community and to plan for possible disruptions to our normal operations.
This report provides the Penn community with information about Penn’s pandemic planning and offers guidance to help students, faculty, staff, and others prepare for influenza during this academic year. Visit this page often for more information and updates.
Influenza Prevention and Treatment Measures for Everyone
Penn takes the health of its community and the health of its external constituencies and community organizations very seriously. Following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other public health officials, we ask that everyone take the actions below in order to help prevent the spread of influenza and to limit the impact of influenza on our community. In addition, we ask that potential campus visitors (colleagues, friends, family) with influenza-like illness postpone campus visits.
Influenza Prevention Measures
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Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. When a tissue is unavailable, cover coughs or sneezes with your elbow or shoulder instead of your hands.
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Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
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Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
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Monitor yourself for the symptoms of influenza-like illness which include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue.
If you have symptoms of influenza-like illness
- Avoid contact with others: stay home from work, class, and public places.
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Isolating yourself if you have influenza-like illness protects others in the community, especially those at higher risk for influenza complications.
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The current recommendation from the CDC is that you should remain isolated until at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever, or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines.
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If you wish to seek medical treatment, contact your health provider by telephone before seeking care.
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Seek emergency medical care if you or someone you know is having any of following warning signs:
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Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
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Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
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Sudden dizziness
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Confusion
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Severe or persistent vomiting
What should I do if I am exposed to someone who has influenza-like illness?
You should monitor yourself for symptoms and continue to go to work or class as usual. Avoid face to face contact with anyone who has influenza-like illness. If you are at high risk for influenza complications, contact your health care provider for guidance.
Considerations for those at high risk for influenza complications
According to the CDC, groups at higher risk of complications from flu include: children younger than age 5; adults age 65 or older; children and adolescents (younger than age 18) who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and who might be at risk for Reye’s Syndrome after flu virus infection; pregnant women; adults and children who have asthma, or other chronic pulmonary, cardiovascular, hepatic, hematological, neurologic, neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders such as diabetes; and adults and children with immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by HIV). Adults age 65 and older, however, appear to be at lower risk of 2009 H1N1 infection than younger people. However, they are at increased risk of having a severe illness if they do get sick. Anyone at higher risk of complications who develops flu-like symptoms should contact their health care provider immediately.
Information for Penn Students
If you develop symptoms of influenza-like illness, do not go to class, work, or other public places until you are fever free for more than 24 hours. Contact Student Health Service at 215-746-3535 to report your illness and to receive guidance about treatment. You may consider leaving campus to stay with family until you recover. If you do leave campus, please inform Student Health Service and travel in a way that limits your contact with others (for example, avoid public transportation).
Consider what steps you can take now to limit the disruption if you develop influenza-like illness.
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Talk to your roommates about what would happen if you or they develop influenza-like illness.
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Talk to your parents and other family members about what would happen if you or they develop influenza-like illness.
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Ask your instructors about attendance policies and procedures for making up assignments or exams if you become ill.
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Purchase flu prevention supplies such as alcohol-based hand sanitizers, tissues, disinfectants, and disposable wipes. Frequently clean high touch surfaces such as desks, door knobs, keyboards, and counters.
Will the Student Health Service prescribe Tamiflu or other antiviral medication to students?
In keeping with current guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health on treating influenza-like illness, Student Health Service will prescribe antiviral medications on a limited, case-by-case basis, to those who are pregnant, severely ill, or have underlying health conditions (severe asthma, diabetes, HIV disease, immune deficiency).
What should I do if I miss class due to influenza-like illness?
You should make contact with your instructors and let them know that you have influenza-like illness and will be missing class. You are responsible for making up any work you miss and for working with your instructors to minimize the disruption caused by your absence. If your illness causes you to miss more than a week of class, you should contact the advising office of your program or school.
What should I tell my parents or family members about plans for influenza at Penn?
You should share this report with them and encourage them to visit the Student Health Service homepage to find out more about healthcare for students at Penn. Parents and other family members who wish to receive updates about influenza developments at Penn can subscribe to the Flu Update Service.
What should I do if my roommate or friend gets sick?
Here are some guidelines to follow if your roommates, friends, hallmates, or neighbors develop influenza-like illness:
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Avoid face-to-face contact with the sick person.
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Clean your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand cleaner after you touch the sick person or handle items they have touched.
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Monitor yourself for flu symptoms and contact Student Health Service if you develop symptoms.
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Visit www.flu.gov to find information about caring for a sick person at home.
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If you live on campus and a sick roommate is causing you stress, you should discuss your concerns with your RA/GA or your House Dean. Whether you live on or off campus, visit the U-Life webpage for information on resources available to you.
Information for Penn Faculty
If you develop influenza-like illness, you should stay home until you are fever free for more than 24 hours. If you wish to seek medical treatment or have medical questions, you should contact your healthcare provider. If you feel well enough to work, you should do so remotely using email, telephone, and other communication technologies.
Consider what steps you can take now to limit the disruption if you develop influenza-like illness.
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Develop plans to manage your laboratory or office if you or your staff becomes ill.
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Plan for disruptions to your courses, including informing your students about:
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policies and expectations regarding class attendance;
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procedures for making up in-class assignments and exams for students who are absent due to illness;
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procedures to notify students if you need to cancel class unexpectedly.
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Talk to your family and household members about what would happen if you or they develop influenza-like illness and remain at home.
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Purchase flu prevention supplies such as alcohol-based hand sanitizers, tissues, disinfectants, and disposable wipes for your laboratory or office through established procedures for obtaining office supplies. Frequently clean high touch surfaces such as desks, door knobs, keyboards, and counters.
Where can I get information about instructional technology available to me?
There are a number of instructional technologies that may be useful to manage disruptions to a course, two of which are available to all Penn instructors:
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Courses In Touch-Class List allows instructors to generate email notices to all students enrolled in a class.
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Blackboard and Wharton’s WebCafé provide online tools for conducting class discussions, posting lecture or discussion notes, submitting student assignments, and other tasks.
There may be additional technologies and support available through your school. For specific links, visit the FAQ section of this site.
What are students being told to do if they develop influenza-like illness?
Students who develop influenza-like illness will be told by Student Health Service to not attend class or exams and to contact their instructors to make arrangements to make up assignments or exams. Students who miss class for more than a week will be told to contact their school or program advising office.
Information for Penn Staff
If you develop influenza-like illness, you should stay home from work until you are fever free for more than 24 hours. If you wish to seek medical treatment or have medical questions, you should contact your healthcare provider. You should contact your supervisor to inform him or her that you will not be coming to work.
Consider what steps you can take now to limit the disruption if you develop influenza-like illness.
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Talk to your supervisor and colleagues about ways to minimize the disruption your absence would cause and explore with your supervisor the possibility of cross-training with co-workers so that vital functions can continue in your absence.
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Review Sick Leave, Paid Time Off, and Family and Medical Leave policies and your sick leave and other paid time off balances.
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Purchase flu prevention supplies such as alcohol-based hand sanitizers, tissues, disinfectants, and disposable wipes through established procedures for obtaining office supplies. Frequently clean high touch surfaces such as desks, door knobs, keyboards, and counters.
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Develop plans with your family and household members to address household matters if you or they develop influenza-like illness and have to remain at home.
In addition to the steps above, supervisors should:
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Develop plans to manage your workplace, including cross-training of staff, so that vital office functions can continue if you or your staff become ill.
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Review the sick leave and other paid time off balances for your staff.
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Review official flu information and CDC guidance about the workplace and discuss with your employees.
If you have questions about Human Resources policies or workplace issues, contact Staff and Labor Relations in the Division of Human Resources (215-898-6093) or your school/center Human Resources representative.
What should I do if an employee at work has influenza-like illness?
If a staff member at work has influenza-life symptoms, you should send the staff member home. Penn employees who become ill should contact their health care provider by telephone about medical concerns or questions.
Should I inform employees if I know they have been exposed to someone with influenza-like symptoms?
You should inform employees of their exposure if you know they have come in contact with someone who has influenza-like illness in the workplace, but you must respect the privacy of the sick individual and not share confidential information about any employee’s medical condition. Encourage your staff who have been exposed to monitor themselves for influenza-like symptoms and to speak with their health care provider about any medical concerns.
Information for Penn Parents
What are three things parents should do to prepare for influenza at Penn?
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Talk to your son or daughter now about what would happen if he or she became ill with the flu.
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Purchase flu prevention supplies (for example, tissues, disposable wipes, hand sanitizer) and flu care products (cold/flu medicine, thermometers).
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Subscribe to our Flu Update Service for parents.
What happens if my son or daughter gets sick with flu?
Students should call Student Health Service at 215-746-3535 to speak with a health care provider about their symptoms and get treatment advice. We want students to call rather than visit SHS in person to reduce the spread of the illness (this follows CDC infection control guidance).
In addition, we are providing the following advice to students if they are sick with flu:
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Students should stay home from class, work, and social activities.
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Students should contact their instructors via email or phone to make arrangements to make up missed work. Penn instructors know students will be told to stay home from class if they have the flu and will work with students to make up work.
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If students are concerned about their academic progress or if they miss more than two class meetings or an exam, they should contact the advising office in their school to discuss their situation.
What happens if the symptoms get worse? How will sick students be monitored?
Sick students who feel worse should call Student Health Service immediately to talk to a doctor or nurse. If it is a medical emergency, students should call Penn Emergency number immediately: 215/573-3333 or 511 (from any campus phone). Sick students on campus will be contacted daily by residential staff to monitor their progress and make sure they are getting what they need.
What if I want to bring my son or daughter home to recover?
While our health care providers and college house staff are great, nothing beats Mom and Dad’s care when you are sick. If they are able, parents are encouraged to pick up sick students and take them home to recover. The CDC advises sick people to avoid public transportation, so travel by private car is the best option.
For those who live too far away to make going home an option, rest assured we will do everything we can to keep sick students comfortable and get them on the road to recovery.
How will Penn notify me if my son or daughter is sick?
Penn notifies parents as soon as possible if their son or daughter has been hospitalized due to an injury or illness. You should strongly encourage your son or daughter to provide parent's cell phone numbers to UPennAlert to make sure we don't have problems reaching you in case of emergency.
A case of flu is unlikely to be an emergency. We expect students to contact their parents if they become ill. You should discuss your expectations if your son or daughter becomes ill. A phone call home each day when a student is sick is reasonable.
Suspending Normal Operations
At this time, the Centers for Disease Control and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health are not recommending that educational institutions suspend classes or cancel large gatherings. However, it is possible that public health officials will recommend that Penn suspend normal operations in order to limit the spread of influenza. This scenario could include suspending classes or canceling large public gatherings such as athletic events and social programs.
If normal operations are suspended, the Penn community will be notified via email, a notice on the Penn homepage, and the emergency information telephone number, 215-898- MELT (6358). The length of a suspension of normal operations and the impact on educational and research programs would depend upon the severity of the pandemic and the ongoing evaluation of the health risks by public health officials.
Vaccines
There are two vaccines planned for distribution during the fall: a specific vaccine to protect against novel H1N1 influenza and this year’s seasonal influenza vaccine.
Vaccine for Novel H1N1 Influenza
A vaccine to protect against novel H1N1 influenza is in production and will likely be ready in the fall. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), vaccination efforts will focus on five target groups: pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age; healthcare and emergency medical services personnel; persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years, and people between the ages of 25 and 64 years who are at higher risk for novel H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems. We will provide updates as more information about the timing and procedures for the vaccine becomes available.
Seasonal Flu Vaccine
Seasonal flu vaccine will be available in the fall to the Penn community as it has been in previous years. Seasonal flu vaccine is an important measure you can take to protect your health although it does not provide specific protection against novel H1N1 influenza. For more information, students should visit www.vpul.upenn.edu/shs. Faculty and staff should visit www.hr.upenn.edu/Quality/Wellness/FluShots.aspx.
More Information and Updates
Visit this site often for updates and frequently asked questions related to pandemic planning and preparation at Penn.
For information about novel H1N1 influenza or what to do if you are a Penn student and you become ill, visit the Student Health Service webpage or contact them at 215-746-3535.
For information or questions about Penn-sponsored international programs, please visit the Office of International Programs webpage or call 215-898-9073.
For the most up-to-date official information about flu, visit www.flu.gov, or call 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636).
For questions about this report, email fluplan@pobox.upenn.edu .