Colleges Prepare for Swine Flu

MYFOXNY.COM - Colleges in the New York area are getting ready to welcome students back to campus very soon. Health officials at these institutions are taking steps to prepare for possible swine flu outbreaks.

Some of the key points for students and staff:

• Colleges should encourage good flu-preventive hygiene, such as frequent hand washing, routine cleaning of commonly touched surfaces, and "coughing etiquette," such as covering a cough or sneeze with a tissue or a sleeve.
   
• Urge students and staff to get a flu shot once they become available, especially higher-risk individuals, such as pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions such as asthma or diabetes.
   
• If students do get sick, self-isolation is key. Ideally, students who live in dorm-type housing should, if they can, return to the family home for the duration of their illness (using a taxi or private vehicle). If they cannot, they should refrain from close contact with other students, relying on phone, e-mail, texting and the Internet to keep up with schoolwork and family and friends.
   
• In some cases, a "flu buddy" system might be helpful: Students pair up to exclusively care for each other if one becomes ill. Individuals should leave isolation only after 24 hours have passed without fever (without the use of fever-reducing medicines).
   
• Students or staff should not require a doctor's note to prove they are ill, since such requirements could swamp already overburdened clinics, the CDC said.
   

>CDC RECOMMENDATIONS

>BACK-TO-SCHOOL TIPS

>MYFOX SWINE FLU COVERAGE