With the upcoming flu season, ensuring your health is very important.  This flu season not only will we be fighting the seasonal flu, but now the H1N1 strain of the flu is being thrown into the mix.  There are already colleges in Ohio that have reported cases of the H1N1 virus already this semester.  These colleges include Xavier, Miami, Cedarville, and the University of Cincinnati.  With such a serious virus spreading around it is vitally important that we do all that we can to keep from catching this virus and to minimize the spread of it. 

PREVENTION
In order to minimize the spread of any flu virus, the two most important things that you can do are:

1. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.  This is the #1 way to minimize transmission of the flu.
   -Singing "Happy Birthday" or the alphabet while washing is about as long as it should take to wash them thoroughly. 
   -Make sure you wash between your fingers, the palms of your hands, the backs of your hands, and your wrists. 
   -Also be sure to use warm water and soap. 
   (Additionally, there are Purell stations throughout campus where you can use antibacterial foam to reduce germs on your hands in between washings.)
    
2. If you are sick, please stay home.  The CDC guidelines urge that if you exhibit flu-like symptoms then you should stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after any signs of a fever have gone. 

Other things you can do to prevent the spread of the flu are:

• Do not touch your face, eyes, mouth, or nose
• Use alcohol-based sanitizers
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow, rather than your hand
• Keep your residence and bathroom clean! Use disinfectant.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

• Fever (100° F+) or chills and cough or sore throat
• Possibly runny nose, body aches, headaches, diarrhea, vomiting, and/or tiredness

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE SICK

• Stay at home or in your residency
• Stay away from roommates and others until at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever
• Do not go to class
• If possible, return home or to family who can help care for you

NEED A DOCTOR?

Visit the Health Clinic or your doctor should you have trouble breathing.  The SSU Health Clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am-11:30am.

**For more information please visit http://www.cdc.gov/

Contact SGA at: Shawnee State University  Attention: SGA 940 Second Street Portsmouth, OH 45662
Phone # (740) 351-3320 Fax # (740) 351-3643
Email:  sga@shawnee.edu