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Last Updated: November 2nd, 2009
Visits to medical facilities for influenza-like illnesses continue to be higher than expected for this time of year. Both the CDC and the American College Health Association reported significant spikes in illnesses last week. Almost all cases of influenza virus occurring this fall are 2009 H1N1.
Individuals with influenza-like illnesses (fever, (100F [37.8C])or greater, and cough and/or a sore throat) should stay home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever, which will be 3-5 days in most cases. In addition, healthcare workers who provide care to severely immunocompromised patients should be considered for reassignment or exclusion from work for 7 days from symptom onset or until the resolution of symptoms, whichever is longer, and should refer to CDC guidelines for additional information.
Students with flu symptoms should contact the Student Health Service at 305-284-9100 and faculty and staff should follow public health guidelines, or contact their doctor. This recommendation may change, and self care may be recommended, if the local situation changes. For more information, please refer to:
People at high risk for flu complications should seek prompt medical attention (contact or visit the Student Health Service, or other medical provider).
- Immuno-suppression due to HIV / AIDS, chemotherapy, cancer, or chronic steroid or other medication use
- Pregnant women
- Asthma or chronic pulmonary disease (e.g. cystic fibrosis)
- Cardiovascular disease (e.g. congenital heart disease)
- Chronic kidney or liver disease (e.g. nephritis, dialysis, chronic hepatitis)
- Neurologic or Neuromuscular disorders (e.g. multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy)
- Metabolic Disorders (e.g. Diabetes, Addison's disease )
- Hematologic disorders (e.g. white blood cell disorder, sickle cell or other severe anemia, platelet and clotting disorders )
- Chronic rheumatologic disorder (e.g. lupus, rheumatoid arthritis )
- Gastrointestinal disease (e.g. Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis)
- Children < 5 years old, Adults > 65 years old
Those with emergency warning signs should also seek prompt medical attention:
Adults -
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
Children -
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Not waking up or not interacting
- Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
- Fever with rash
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Students with an influenza-like illness (fever, (100F [37.8C]) or greater, and cough and/or a sore throat), should request assistance from their flu buddy or other friend to obtain food or other necessities. Get Well Kits containing tissues, disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, a mask, individual use thermometers, a PowerAde bottle and information regarding dining services are available at housing front desks. If necessary, housing and dining services will cooperate to have food delivered to the student's room. Students can contact reslife@miami.edu to arrange for a designee to pick up meals, or for assistance with meal delivery or other housing related issues.
Please review our FAQ'S for additional information.
Individual Use Thermometer Instructions
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Students with an influenza-like illness (fever, (100F [37.8C]) or greater, and cough and/or a sore throat), should stay home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever, which will be 3-5 days in most cases. Students must contact professors via email unless otherwise instructed. Law students my contact professors directly but should also use the on-line absence reporting form. Class excuses will not be required and will not be provided.
Please review our FAQ'S for additional information.
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H1N1 flu vaccine has arrived at the University of Miami and has been distributed at several sites by on-line appointment. Information about distribution sites is available on our H1N1 vaccine webpage. Vaccine is also available at the Student Health Service without an appointment. Wait times are shortest in the morning. Immunization is also available at Miami-Dade County Health Department Vaccination sites, and other off-campus locations. Information about off-campus sites is available at www.dadehealth.org, www.myflusafety.com, or 877-352-3581.
Initial supplies of vaccines have been offered to:
- 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 old
- People 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems
Sufficient supplies remain to allow us to offer to all University of Miami students, faculty and staff.
Both Nasal Spray Live Attenuated Vaccine and Inactivated Injection Vaccine are available via on-line appointments to students. The Nasal Spray vaccine will be offered to healthy students. Those who cannot receive nasal spray vaccine include:
- People younger than 2 years of age
- Pregnant women
- People 50 years of age and older
- People with a medical condition that places them at higher risk for complications from influenza, including those with chronic heart or lung disease, such as asthma or reactive airways disease, people with medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney failure; or people with illnesses that weaken the immune system, or who take medications that can weaken the immune system
- Children younger than 5 years old with a history of recurrent wheezing
- Children or adolescents receiving aspirin therapy
- People who have had Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), a rare disorder of the nervous system, within 6 weeks of getting a flu vaccine
- People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs or who are allergic to any of the nasal spray vaccine components
In addition, anyone who received a seasonal nasal flu vaccine should wait one month until receiving a nasal H1N1 vaccine.
Detailed information and instructions on scheduling an appointment are available on our H1N1 vaccine webpage.
Faculty and staff who are in initial risk groups for immunization may check with their primary care physicians' office over the next few weeks, although most have not yet received the vaccine. They may also obtain vaccines at Health Department sites. University wide communications will be sent as vaccine supplies become available. Please refer back to this site periodically for updates.
Health Care workers will be informed by Employee Health, or University departments as vaccine supplies become available. Information about seasonal flu shots is available on our seasonal flu website.
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General recommendations to stay healthy from the Centers for Disease Control include the following:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread that way.
- Try to avoid contact with sick people. Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
At this time, face masks are not viewed as necessary for healthy individuals who are not at elevated risk for contracting or exposure to the H1N1 flu. According to the Centers for Disease Control, masks may be considered in certain circumstances in conjunction with other preventive measures. |
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Members of the University community who are contemplating travel abroad are advised to consult CDC Travel Notices for updated recommendations.
Many countries, including Japan and China, are screening arriving passengers for illness due to novel H1N1 flu and may quarantine visitors with a fever or other signs or symptoms of an influenza like illness.
Travelers should be prepared for delays related to H1N1 screening and should consult the Study Abroad H1N1 Web site prior to travel. Embassy and Consular Web sites are also a good source of information.
If you are studying abroad and feel sick with the flu, you should immediately go to the health clinic at the university you are attending or the nearest hospital. Please inform the international office at your host university as well as your study abroad advisor at UM of your condition.
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Facilities services are available from 7:30am to 11:00pm seven days a week, by calling the customer service office at 305-284-4091. If you would like to request facilities support, supplies or housekeeping assistance, we encourage you to utilize our iService Desk to create a work order for your needs. Instructions on how to use the system are posted on the iService Desk homepage. You are welcome to call the customer service office if you experience any difficulty processing your request. |
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