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At the start of the semester, along with student I.D.s, parking permits and class syllabi, students received an index card with instructions on how to properly wash their hands.
The H1N1 virus [swine flu] pandemic has called for increased preparation on college campuses, and MU officials are working on a plan to keep students, staff and faculty safe and healthy. While the swine flu has yet to reach campus, cases in Pennsylvania are increasing, including one case occurring as close as Bloomsburg University.
Planned Prevention
A representative from every college and department attended a meeting on Thursday, Sept. 10 to finalize a plan of action for the education and prevention of the H1N1 virus. According to Paul Krzywicki, assistant director of Marketing and Communications, most of the guidelines on handling an outbreak will come from the Center for Disease Control [CDC] and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. However, there will be specific actions taken at MU to guarantee the safety of the community, including an entire public relations campaign about prevention and maintenance of the virus.
Students and their parents received information about the swine flu upon returning to campus, but most of the preparedness plan is still not set in stone. MU officials are sure about one thing: Communication is key. “Our goal is to educate the community about the H1N1 virus,” said Krzywicki. Signs with information about preventing the virus can be found in most bathrooms all over campus. Additional information can also be found on the eMU portal and in the Student Health Center. Krzywicki also plans to release informational posters and handouts, as well as keeping updated information on the misericordia.edu website.
MU officials also plan to provide more hand sanitizing stations throughout campus to keep germs at bay. Facilities staff members have also been asked to increase sanitation efforts.
In the case of an outbreak, students, staff and faculty are urged to report symptoms whether they are seasonal or swine-flu-like, since the two are very similar. Sometimes it can be several days before a case is confirmed, so students should isolate themselves or go home if they are able as soon as they recognize the symptoms, said Krzywicki. Students unable to go home will be confined to the physical therapy and occupational therapy labs in the Anderson Sports-Health Center. The rooms are equipped with kitchenettes, bathrooms and beds so that students can feel more at home while they are sick.
But prevention is tricky when there are no vaccines. Charlotte Slocum, director of health services, said MU plans to carry vaccines for both the seasonal and swine flues, but it is still uncertain how many will be available and how much, if any, they will cost.
“Basically we’re preparing for a worst case scenario,” said Krzywicki. This includes plans to continue education despite social isolation. Department heads at MU will have the opportunity to design a specific alternate curriculum in the case of a swine flu outbreak. Professors have the option to create classes on Blackboard, the online learning system, and they will also have access to Wimba, a video conferencing tool. Though it may be a big change for students accustomed to hands-on learning, officials say these tools will avoid a complete halt of academic work on campus.
Impacts on GPA
Some students are unsure of the academic repercussions of a swine flu outbreak. “As long as we have Internet access, professors just need to be creative in teaching the material,” said junior psychology and physical therapy major Megan McClary. “But for my anatomy class, lab was half of our grade, and being able to visually see muscles and nerves when dissecting animals is primarily how I learned.”
Senior Caitlin Cox, speech-language pathology major, admits that group work and in-class socialization is an integral aspect of learning. “I think it’s important being with people in class and seeing the discussions that stem from that. Learning from home would mostly be like reading a textbook, and that’s boring.”
Some students aren’t concerned about the flu’s impact on campus. “I think they’re just trying to be cautious,” said freshman Jeff Huss. “People just get worried. No one really talks about it.”
Slocum is concerned not only for the students, but also for the staff. “What happens when someone in food services catches the virus? How will they serve food?” She also realizes that prevention is the best bet for keeping the campus swine flu free. “[Prevention] is a shared responsibility of all people.”
“When I went home over break it was all over the news,” said freshman Alana Rizzo. “My dad was talking about it to me and he was getting freaked out, but here it’s not a big deal.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has reported a total of 2,100 confirmed cases and 49 probable cases within the state, including 10 deaths as a result of the swine flu. In Luzerne County, 41 cases have been confirmed as of September 4.
Stay Informed, Stay Healthy
Swine flu, or the H1N1 virus, is closely related to the seasonal flu. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, chills, headaches and fatigue. A high number of those with confirmed cases of the flu already had pre-existing illnesses that made them a “high risk” for catching the seasonal flu – people with chronic conditions like asthma, heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease. Pregnancy is also a risk factor for having complications as a result of the swine flu. The virus spreads much like seasonal influenza through person-to-person contact after sneezing or coughing, or touching one’s face after touching an object that has flu viruses on it. Slocum says the only way students can knows for sure if they have the virus is with a throat swab to be analyzed by health professionals. The flu can be mild or severe, and many have been able to recover from the illness without treatment from a medical professional. However, Slocum urges anyone with flu-like symptoms to come to the Health Center.
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