H1N1 101 - colleges prepare for potential swine flu outbreaks
Story Created:
Sep 1, 2009 at 4:20 PM EST
Story Updated:
Sep 1, 2009 at 4:31 PM EST
(WKTV) - Now that most colleges have their students back on campus, officials are monitoring potential H1N1 virus outbreaks. Three area colleges said that as the students file back into the dorms and classrooms, they remain proud that they have so far had no cases of the virus.
Joe Saponaro, a Crisis Management Coordinator at Utica College, said Utica College officials are monitoring their students and their health. Saponaro says the college is fully-prepared if a students contracts swine flu.
"We have a crisis management team that meets regularly," Saponaro said. "We plan we do exercises and we are prepared as much as you can be."
Saponaro said the campus ordered 3,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine, which they expect to arrive next month. In the meantime, a very specific plan is in place for potential outbreaks.
"If they do have flu symptoms, this time of year we are going to assume it is H1N1," Saponaro said. "And we are going to send them to one of the local facilities. We are going to encourage that student, if possible, to go home until they get through the illness. If they are unable to get home at this point, we are looking at isolating students, having them stay in their room until they are free of any of the symptoms for at least 24 hours."
Utica College recently sent out a letter to all faculty, staff and students explaining the signs and symptoms of swine flu. On top of that, staff is looking to add more hand sanitizer stations in the busy areas of the campus. They say when it comes to prevention, every possible measure in on the table.
The other two colleges - Herkimer County Community College and Colgate University, say they have updated their pandemic flu plan, making swine flu their top priority.
