FLU UPDATE – Oct. 21, 2009
Are you feeling sick? Do you think you might have the flu?
Nowthere is a phone number to call for advice and information. Those with possible flu symptoms can call the Minnesota FluLine at 1-866-259-4655 to get questions answered and obtain treatment options.
Callers with flu symptoms will be connected with a nurse. The nurses, who will be available 24 hours a day, will evaluate the health concerns of callers and discuss treatment options.
The FluLine was established by the state in order to reduce some of the demands on doctors' offices and urgent care facilities across the state. The state hopes the FluLine will limit the number of sick people sitting in waiting rooms and, as a result, slow the spread of H1N1 and other flu-like viruses.
For Augsburg students, faculty, and staff, this provides an opportunity to have questions answered by a health professional without needing to make a trip to a clinic.
In most cases, people can recover from the flu without visiting a healthcare provider. The FluLine can help identify people with a high risk for complications from the flu.
Do not go to class or report for work if you are sick. Students with flu-like symptoms should contact the Dean of Students for help notifying faculty of possible absences. If you live in the residence halls and are from the Twin Cities or surrounding area, please consider recovering at home for comfort and for the health of your on-campus neighbors. Also, please inform your residence hall director if you are feeling ill.
Staff members who are sick or who need to stay at home to care for sick children should contact their supervisors.
FLU UPDATE – Oct. 12, 2009
A month into the academic year, we are happy to report that Augsburg College students, faculty and staff have been extremely responsible and have worked hard to help prevent an outbreak of the H1N1 virus and other influenza-like illnesses.
While it seems likely that this flu season will be with us for some time, early results are encouraging. We have not yet seen illness rapidly sweep through a residence hall or sports team as has happened at other colleges and universities.
Since the beginning of the academic year, about 55 day school students have reported flu-like illnesses to the Dean of Students office. That total is less than 3 percent of all day school students. On average, there have been about 10-12 students sick at one time. The vast majority of students who have become ill are again healthy in less than a week.
Almost every student who has experienced flu-like illness has been able to return home to recover. That allows them to be more comfortable and helps keep other Augsburg students from getting sick.
On the Rochester campus, class absences have been at fairly normal levels. In addition, there has not been an increase in the number of ill students in the Weekend College program.
Staff absences have not occurred at levels beyond what is normal for this time of the year. More staff members have missed work in order to care for sick children than because of their own illness.
That said, we are asking people to continue to make good decisions about their health and hygiene. Students who experience flu-like symptoms should contact the Dean of Students office as they will help notify faculty members.
In addition, four opportunities remain for students, faculty and staff to obtain seasonal flu shots. All four sessions will be held in the Christensen Center.
- Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 8 a.m. to noon in the Century Room.
- Friday, Oct. 23 from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Minneapolis Room.
- Thursday, Oct. 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Minneapolis Room.
- Wednesday, Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. to noon in the Minneapolis Room.
The College’s H1N1 planning team continues to meet and monitor the spread of flu on campus. Planning for what to do if there becomes a serious outbreak on campus is ongoing.
FLU UPDATE - Sept. 24, 2009
As students, faculty and staff settle into their routines of the academic year, everyone is reminded to continue to be responsible and vigilant in helping prevent a widespread outbreak of flu and flu-like illness on campus. This is especially important as we prepare for homecoming week, a time filled with large group events.
What does that mean? That means continuing wash your hands frequently and/or the use of hand sanitizer. That means covering your cough and your sneezes (preferably with something other than your bare hand). And that means that if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms – a fever of more than 100 degrees and a cough or sore throat – please isolate yourself from others and not return to class until you are free of fever for 24 hours without the use of medication.
While we have been free of a widespread outbreak on campus, there are students who have experienced or are experiencing flu-like symptoms. Over the past two weeks, about 25 students have reported suffering from flu-like illness, bringing the total for the school year to more than 30. That total is less than 2 percent of our Day College students.
A reminder to students: If you experience flu-like symptoms, please contact the Dean of Students office. They will help notify the faculty members who teach your classes. If you live in the residence halls and are from the Twin Cities or surrounding area, please consider recovering at home for comfort and for the health of your on-campus neighbors. Also, please inform your residence hall director if you are feeling ill.
Other flu updates
SEASONAL FLU SHOTS: Five opportunities for students, faculty and staff to receive seasonal flu shots have been scheduled for the Christensen Center.
- Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Riverside Room
- Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 8 a.m. to noon in the Century Room
- Friday, Oct. 23 from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Minneapolis Room
- Thursday, Oct. 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Minneapolis Room
- Wednesday, Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. to noon in the Minneapolis Room
MOODLE TRAINING: The Academic LFCs have scheduled several refresher sessions on the used of Moodle for classrooms. Moodle provides a means to stay connected and engage students when they are not in the classroom. Moodle could be a good tool to use if a number of students become ill or if a faculty member needs to miss class because of flu-like symptoms.
The 30-minute sessions will cover using announcements and quickmail for communication, the creation of a discussion forum, the posting of a syllabus and the creation of an online assignment.
Sessions have been scheduled for the following times and places:
- Saturday, Sept. 26 from Noon to 1 p.m. in SVE 205
- Monday, Sept. 28 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in SVE 201
- Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in SVE 201
Each session is 30 minutes and will be repeated beginning every half-hour during the block of time. The sessions will feature 15 minutes of demonstration followed by 15 minutes of hands-on time.
LETTER FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW - Sept. 10, 2009
Dear Members of the Augsburg Community:
As we settle into this new academic year, I want to take the opportunity to talk about preparations that Augsburg has made in the event of an outbreak of Novel H1N1 flu. Although the challenges posed by this particular flu strain require coordination of many individuals and departments across campus, I want to assure you that the College will make every effort to respond to the needs of students, faculty and staff. Beginning last spring, a special committee, led by Ann Garvey, Vice President of Student Affairs, and John Pack, Director of Public Safety, began to develop a specific plan of action in anticipation of an outbreak of H1N1 at Augsburg. Specific details of this plan can be found on this website, which will be updated moving forward.
You may be aware that colleges and universities across the country (including some in Minnesota) that started a week or two ago have reported numerous cases of students with flu-like symptoms. As of today, seven Augsburg students have reported flu-like symptoms, but none has been found to have the H1N1 virus. Our student affairs and public safety staff are monitoring all student reports of flu-like symptoms and maintaining good communication with professors, families, and others to coordinate responses.
During these next several months, it will be very important that students, faculty, and staff follow the advice of health professionals to help slow the spread of H1N1. This means that individuals who are experiencing symptoms of the flu - a fever of more than 100 degrees and a cough or sore throat - should follow the Center for Disease Control guidelines including self-isolation and not returning to work or class until you are free of a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
Letters to students, parents and faculty members were sent out electronically and are posted on this website. I encourage you to review these letters and to notify Ann Garvey (garvey@augsburg.edu), John Pack (pack@augsburg.edu), or Andrea Turner, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources (turner2@augsburg.edu) if you have any concerns or questions.
The most important response we can have to the H1N1 flu is to prevent its spread. Prevention is the responsibility of everyone and I urge you to take proper measures as outlined in the various informational links posted on our website to limit the effects of this virus.
Thank you in advance for your help and cooperation as we move forward. Let us hope for a healthy year!
Sincerely,
Paul C. Pribbenow
President
AUGSBURG MONITORING H1N1 FLU VIRUS SITUATION - Sept. 1, 2009
Augsburg College officials are taking a series of precautions to prepare for the potential arrival of H1N1 virus on campus. As we move into the traditional flu season – when experts anticipate that the H1N1 virus will spread – Augsburg will continue to monitor the situation and will refine the campus flu plan as necessary.
Augsburg is in communication with the Minnesota Department of Health and will follow recommendations from both state officials and the national Center for Disease Control.
The College is communicating to students, parents, faculty and staff on how to take important precautions against becoming ill and how to respond if someone has flu-like symptoms.
All members of the Augsburg community are encouraged to wash their hands frequently, to cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing to prevent the spreading the virus and to isolate themselves and stay out of public areas if feeling ill.
Augsburg is installing hand-sanitizing stations in many public rest rooms on campus, including in residence halls. Students in apartment-style residence halls should consider putting sanitizer in their private rest rooms.
Students and their families – especially those who are from in or around the Twin Cities – should discuss short-term adjustments to their living arrangements if they or their roommate become ill with the flu.
Again this fall, Augsburg will offer seasonal flu vaccinations. The flu shot clinic will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Riverside Room of the Christensen Center. The cost for students, faculty and staff will be $25.
Depending upon availability, Augsburg will offer the H1N1 vaccination. That is a two-step process and it is unclear when that vaccine will be made available. If available, that will be communicated to the community. Students, faculty and staff in high-risk categories should consult with their health care provider about whether they would like to receive the H1N1 shot separately.
