September 1, 2009

Dear Dakota Wesleyan University Students:

We have spent considerable time planning for possible outbreaks of H1N1 flu this fall.

All indications thus far are that the virulence of the H1N1 virus remains fairly low; most patients suffer relatively mild symptoms, comparable with those of seasonal flu. Though some patients become seriously ill, most recover quickly and without complications.

Models put together by experts from the federal government indicate that — even if H1N1 is widespread this fall, and many of us fall ill at one time or another — the number of sick students, faculty and staff at any one time is likely to be relatively small.

Our current plan, therefore, is to conduct academic business as usual. We will, however, ask faculty members to be mindful that we are in a worldwide pandemic; we will ask them to be particularly flexible in their expectations of students who become ill.

In return, we ask the following of you:

• If you become ill with flu-like symptoms, please see our campus nurse, Donna Gerlach, in the basement of Rollins Campus Center or visit a local doctor or medical clinic.
    
• After you are seen, stay in your room or apartment. Leave home only if you need to seek additional medical attention. Do not go to class or to work, especially if you have a fever. Do not go to the lab, library or other public places where you might expose others. Ask friends to bring you your meals. Our dining service contractor, Aramark is providing reusable meal containers and we would encourage you to use these.
    
• If you are ill, immediately contact your professors by phone or e-mail and make arrangements with them to make up missed work. Faculty members are very willing to work with you once they know you are ill.
    
• Do not resume your normal activities until you have been symptom-free, without benefit of medication, for at least 24 hours.

I must, of course use this opportunity to urge that we prevent unnecessary illnesses by redoubling our adherence to standard precautions against spreading flu in our community:

• Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough, and dispose of the tissue in the trash immediately. If you have no tissue, cover your cough or sneeze with your arm rather than your hand.
    
• Wash your hands, thoroughly and often, with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are available from the campus nurse and can be carried with you for use when soap and water are not available.
    
• To help prevent spreading germs, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

Dakota Wesleyan University intends to provide H1N1 flu vaccine when it becomes available, to high priority populations, which are specifically our students age 18-30. The exact date of vaccine availability will only become clear as testing is completed, manufacturing ramps up and national vaccination priorities are set.

Just as the university needs to plan for extreme situations, all students and their families should discuss how they will handle the possibility of a more serious outbreak. I recommend having that discussion now so that you are prepared for any eventuality.

There is more information and advice at the federal government’s H1N1 Web site: http://www.flu.gov/ and at the CDC’s Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/ (click on the green “H1N1 flu info” box on the right side of the page).

Thank you in advance for following the guidelines outlined in this message. We look forward to a successful, healthy year at Dakota Wesleyan University.

Sincerely,

Amy C. Novak
Provost and Executive Vice President