The H1N1 virus is circulating through the United States, and indeed worldwide, and it is expected that the virus is already circulating in Pennsylvania as well.

We encourage faculty to:

1. Try to put as much material as possible on your Angel web support for your courses.
2. Talk to your students about H1N1 now, and encourage your students to stay home if they become  sick.  Be prepared to implement a relaxed student attendance policy if the flu hits.  The expectation is that when individuals get sick, they will have a relatively high fever for three days. Twenty-four hours after the fever breaks the individual is no longer contagious and may return to class or work. 
  
3. Encourage your students to be prudent about taking days off from class when they are not sick.  If they are not prudent, their ability to keep up will only be harmed if they become ill.
4. Formally or informally, keep track of class attendance.   Alert the Provost's Office if you believe that there is an unusually high absentee rate in any of your classes, without reporting actual names of absent students.

Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. A fever is a temperature taken with a thermometer that is equal to or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Look for possible signs of fever, which include feeling very warm, a flushed appearance, or sweating or shivering.

• CDC YouTube Video: Symptoms of Swine Flu

Do not come to campus if you have flu or flu-like illness, for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100 degrees F) or signs of a fever (chills, feel very warm, flushed appearance, or sweating).

The CDC recommends that you seek immediate medical attention if you experience:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomenSudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough