Monday, October 26, 2009

To the Drexel Campus Community:

The Influenza (A) H1N1 vaccine has arrived in limited quantity at Drexel University and will be made available through scheduled vaccination clinics for those individuals noted by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be at risk of H1N1 disease. Note that H1N1 vaccination clinics are being staffed by volunteers from Drexel University and Drexel University College of Medicine in response to a request from the local health department. While vaccine was ordered for all members of the Drexel community who fit the CDC criteria, significantly less vaccine arrived. Such vaccine shortages are being experienced by institutions throughout the region. Therefore, every effort has been made to offer vaccine initially to individuals who are health care workers, including students who have any contact with patient care activities. Clinics will be held the week of October 26 th at locations on the Center City campus and the Main campus. A clinic has already been held on the Queen Lane campus of the College of Medicine. The following information should guide your decision making for attending a vaccination clinic:

Vaccination is non mandatory but strongly recommended. There are many cases of H1N1 disease in the region including cases among those in the Drexel community. By getting vaccinated, you can protect yourself and others from the disease. It's a very responsible thing to do.

The vaccine is made by Sanofi Pasteur and is given as a single intramuscular (IM) injection in the shoulder. An information sheet about the vaccine is provided prior to being given the injection. Note that this vaccine was manufactured through a process similar to the seasonal flu shot. If you are allergic to eggs or have ever had Guillain Barre Syndrome, you cannot receive the H1N1 vaccine at Drexel.

The H1N1 vaccine is NOT the same as the seasonal flu shot. If your among the population recommended for the seasonal flu shot, you should still get the seasonal flu vaccine, however, the seasonal flu injection is not provided at the H1N1 Drexel flu clinics.

The H1N1 vaccine is provided free of charge.

The groups recommended to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine are listed below. Note that the category of young adults includes a large number of Drexel students:

•  Pregnant women because they are at higher risk of complications and can potentially provide protection to infants who cannot be vaccinated;

•  Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age because younger infants are at higher risk of influenza-related complications and cannot be vaccinated. Vaccination of those in close contact with infants younger than 6 months old might help protect infants by “cocooning” them from the virus;

•  Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel because infections among healthcare workers have been reported and this can be a potential source of infection for vulnerable patients. Also, increased absenteeism in this population could reduce healthcare system capacity;

•  All people from 6 months through 24 years of age

•  Children from 6 months through 18 years of age because cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in children who are in close contact with each other in school and day care settings, which increases the likelihood of disease spread, and

•  Young adults 19 through 24 years of age because many cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in these healthy young adults and they often live, work, and study in close proximity, and they are a frequently mobile population; and,

•  Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

To the Drexel Campus Community:

The flu season is beginning and this year, there is particular focus on Influenza A (H1N1) formerly the “Swine Flu” virus. We can all take steps to prevent and contain disease by following the guidelines that have been widely publicized by the US Centers for Disease Control as well as the local Philadelphia Department of Public Health.

Hand washing stations are now located in a majority of Drexel Building lobbies and housing facilities, along with signage to remind all of us about the flu season.

Drexel University officials are in close contact with Philadelphia Health Department leaders concerning the development of a vaccination program for eligible individuals. We anticipate that vaccination clinics will be held on the Main, Queen Lane and Center City campuses sometime in October, depending on the availability of vaccine and Philadelphia health department guidance. This will be a non-mandatory vaccine available at no cost. Note that vaccination for yearly typical flu is a separate injection and will be available at a separate time from the H1N1 vaccination. The groups recommended for these two vaccines differ slightly, so please read all forthcoming email advisories and visit the flu information site to keep current.

Prevention of flu, particularly of the novel H1N1 virus, keeps you healthy and also maintains the good health of our colleagues. Further, prevention of flu on campus helps to prevent significant disease in the Philadelphia region. Thus, we all have a key role to play in maintaining good health. Wash hands. Stay home when ill. Follow campus guidelines as posted on the flu Web site. We are a community- lets work to keep our campus healthy and productive.

Taking Precautions Can Minimize the Spread of Illness

•  Preventing illness and keeping away from others when ill are of critical importance to minimize the spread of disease and the possible severe complications among members of our University community.

•  All members of the Drexel community are strongly encouraged to continue to take the steps of hand washing, covering coughs and practicing good respiratory hygiene. Those with influenza-like illness should follow the guidance in this communication.

•  Students, faculty or staff who live either on or off campus and who have an influenza-like illness (ILI) should self-isolate (stay away from others) in their dorm room or home for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone, except to get medical care if needed or for other necessities. They should keep away from others as much as possible. This is to keep from making others sick.

•  If possible, persons with ILI who wish to seek medical care should contact their health care provider or student health services to report illness by telephone before seeking care. Most ill persons will not require medical care but should phone in to their provider to assess the situation.

•  If persons with ILI (note that testing for H1N1 is not necessary in many cases so the term ILI or influenza-like-illness is used) must leave their home or dorm room for care or other necessities they should cover their nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing. A tissue can be used. Social distancing should be practiced; stand away from others when you are actively ill.

•  Roommates, household members or those caring for an ill person should follow CDC guidance.

•  Persons who are at high risk of complications from Influenza A (H1N1) should stay away from public gatherings where there are known reported infections. Among the very young and those with chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease) or immunodeficient states, the risk of more intense flu disease and related complications may be higher.

Friday, August 21, 2009

To the Drexel Campus Community:

This notice serves to update the Drexel community concerning Influenza A (H1N1) and University preparedness activities. To date, much more is understood about Influenza A (H1N1) (formerly “swine flu”). At this time, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health reports extremely low activity, consistent with the circulation of flu viruses in the summer in this area (low or no circulation). This is, however, the time to plan for a resurgence of H1N1 disease in the fall months and throughout the winter.

For information concerning case counts and disease activity, please click on the flu.gov link on this site or the Philadelphia Health Department link. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recently revised the guidance for universities concerning the response. Pertinent points follow:

•  CDC is not currently recommending the cancellation or dismissal of classes or other large gatherings proactively. Should large numbers of staff, faculty or students be out with H1N1 influenza, decisions to alter class schedules may occur. The University texting system, email, and this Web site will be used for notification. In addition, Webinars may be used to communicate with the Drexel community on an as-needed basis. All decisions will be made with consultation from local public health officials.

•  Students, faculty or staff who live either on or off campus and who have an influenza-like illness (ILI) should self-isolate (stay away from others) in their dorm room or home for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone, except to get medical care if needed or for other necessities. They should keep away from others as much as possible. This is to keep from making others sick.

•  If possible, persons with ILI who wish to seek medical care should contact their health care provider or student health services to report illness by telephone before seeking care. Most ill persons will not require medical care but should phone in to their provider to assess the situation.

•  If persons with ILI (note that testing for H1N1 is not necessary in many cases so the term ILI or influenza-like-illness is used) must leave their home or dorm room for care or other necessities they should cover their nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing. A tissue can be used. Social distancing should be practiced; stand away from others when you are actively ill.

•  Roommates, household members or those caring for an ill person should follow CDC guidance http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance_homecare.htm .

•  Persons who are at high risk of complications from Influenza A (H1N1) should stay away from public gatherings where there are known reported infections. Among the very young and those with chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease) or immunodeficient states, the risk of more intense flu disease and related complications may be higher.

H1N1 Vaccine Update

Vaccine production for H1N1 is ongoing. While a firm date for the vaccine is not yet known, it will be a series of two injections. Vaccine will be distributed to student health services as well as private and public health care provider offices by the local health department when available. We expect it will to be a non mandatory vaccine recommended for persons ages 6 months-24 years. Persons between 25-65 with underlying chronic medical conditions, first responders and health care workers will also be recommended for vaccination. Updates on vaccine availability and distribution will be communicated via email and on this Web site.

Students in the health sciences who have clinical rotations (e.g., medical, nursing and allied health students who have hospital and clinic rotations) may be considered in the health care worker category by many if not all area hospitals. For those individuals, H1N1 vaccine may be mandated by the hospital as a condition of rotation. Information concerning this situation will be soon be conveyed to students, staff and faculty through their academic units such as the Drexel University College of Medicine and the College of Nursing and Health Professions.

This continues to be a situation where a novel flu virus is circulating in the U.S. and abroad for which there is no vaccine. The situation continues to call for the campus community to remain fully informed and continue to take steps recommended by local, state and federal health authorities.

Drexel has a Task Force responsible for pandemic planning for the University. Task Force members include experts in infectious disease, student health, campus safety, security, public health and student life. Other aspects of the University are also represented. Campus email is being used for advisories as information becomes available from the CDC and local health department. Campus email will also be used in the event of any new campus-specific impact related to the epidemic. Text alerts and Webinars may also be used in the event of significant disease outbreaks.

To find out more about the drexelAlert system, go to http://www.drexel.edu/publicsafety/technology/drexelAlert.

Overall, the campus community is doing a great job in preventing the spread of H1N1. While the majority of cases of H1N1 flu have been relatively mild to date, preventing illness and keeping away from others when ill are of critical importance to minimize the spread of disease and the possible severe complications among members of our University community.

All members of the Drexel community are strongly encouraged to continue to take the steps of hand washing, covering coughs and practicing good respiratory hygiene. Those with influenza-like illness should follow the guidance in this communication.