H1N1 Flu among College and University Students

Novel H1N1 influenza is a substantial public health concern for institutions of higher education (IHEs) this season. First detected in humans in the U.S. in April 2009, H1N1 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in June 2009, meaning that cases of H1N1 had spread throughout the world.

It seems that every day, headlines report H1N1 outbreaks and even isolated deaths on campus. College students are considered a high-risk group for H1N1 because of their close living arrangements and young age.

Like any seasonal flu, H1N1’s symptoms and severity vary, and the very young, the elderly, and those with chronic health conditions are more at risk of having moderate to severe complications requiring medical attention. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most important things IHEs can do are to encourage and facilitate use of good hygiene (including frequent hand washing and respiratory etiquette) by everyone on campus; recommend students get the H1N1 vaccination; and separate sick from healthy people as soon as possible.

Resources

For specific guidance on combating outbreaks on campus, several federal agencies have produced resources for dealing with H1N1:

• CDC has created a Web page with helpful H1N1 Resources for Colleges and Universities, including concrete steps for dealing with an outbreak among students, faculty, and staff.
• The U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have provided podcasts about developing a plan to prevent transmission of the H1N1 flu during the 2009–2010 academic year. Although the information is aimed at schools, the guidelines may also benefit IHEs in their H1N1 flu prevention efforts. Read the letter for more information.