H1N1 Flu

The Emergency Response Team at QCC has been monitoring the H1N1 pandemic closely. We are working closely with local and Massachusetts Public Health Departments to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning our institution.

This site provides information about how QCC will manage the flu situation and guidelines for good health and virus containment. We will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available to us. We will continue to provide the campus with timely information on the pandemic as well as any additional changes to our institution’s strategy to prevent the spread of flu on our campus. We will provide alerts and notification pertaining to changes or interruptions regarding cancellations and closings, academic programs, daily operations, campus life, and scheduled activities as soon as possible.

Overview
QCC remains vigilant and is working to help keep our students, faculty, and staff stays safe and healthy through proper prevention. The college is following the guidance of the CDC, and the Department of Public Health (DPH) for management of influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define H1N1 flu as a respiratory disease caused by type A influenza viruses that is contagious and is spread from person to person. It is clear from organizations as varied as World Health Organization and the City of Worcester's Division of Public Health that the spread of H1N1 will almost certainly continue, and perhaps at a high rate.

Prevention
CDC's tips for helping to reduce germ spread and the risk of infection, and asks all members of the campus community to engage these tactics.

1. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Cover coughs or sneezes using your elbow or shoulder instead of your hands when a tissue is not available. Disposable masks are located at various locations throughout the campus.

2. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective. Hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed at most entrances and exits on campus.

3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

4. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.

5. Plan to monitor your health by checking for fever and other symptoms of flu.

6. Talk with your health care provider if you are at higher risk for complications from flu.

7. Be prepared in case you get sick and need to stay home for a week or so; a supply of over-the-counter medicines, alcohol-based hand rubs, tissues and other related items might be useful and help avoid the need to make trips out in public while you are sick and contagious.

8. In accordance with 105 CMR 300.150 and in effective with this order, you must stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them if you have influenza-like illness. Students exhibiting influenza-like illness will be asked to leave class and follow isolation guidelines. Please refer to the regulations for a more detailed explanation. http://www.mvrcs.com/files/H1N1

9. Stay home if you are sick until at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100°F or 37.8°C) or signs of a fever (without the use of a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol®).

Vaccination Information
Vaccines are the best tool we have to prevent influenza.  According to the CDC, the seasonal flu vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against H1N1 influenza.   The H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine – it is intended to be used along-side seasonal flu vaccine.  

QCC is registered in the H1N1 Vaccine Program and has been designated as a high target group to receive the H1N1 vaccine.  We are anticipating sponsoring free H1N1 flu walk in clinics on campus. As of now there is no set date when the arrival of this vaccine will be. Date and time will be determined when the vaccine has been received on campus.  The clinics will be scheduled as needed and will be open to students, faculty, and staff at no cost.  No appointments will be necessary.   Note: Students under 18 years of age must have parental consent and will need to have consent form signed in advance.

Student Treatment
Students should contact their health care providers at the onset of H1N1 or flu like symptoms; it is important to call rather than visit because it could serve as a preventative measure for uninfected individuals.

Students should also communicate directly with their health care providers if they have questions and concerns about their illness, or if they are experiencing more severe symptoms such as shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest, sudden dizziness, confusion or severe or persistent vomiting.

If you do get sick with the flu, get plenty of rest and drink clear fluids (such as water, broth, sports drinks, electrolyte beverages for infants) to keep from being dehydrated. If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible.

Students who are sick with H1N1 or influenza-like illness should avoid contact with anyone at the onset of symptoms and should not report to classes, labs or public events until a full 24 hours after their fever passes (without the aid of fever-reducing medication).

Staying away from others while sick can prevent others from getting sick too. You should limit your contact with your others and try to maintain a distance of 6 feet from him or her. If close contact cannot be avoided, you should wear a surgical mask, if tolerable, when you are around other people. You should also frequently clean commonly-touched surfaces to prevent infecting others.

Professors will ask students exhibiting influenza-like illness to leave class and follow isolation guidelines.

Disposable masks are available at various locations throughout the campus.

The Academic Affairs office is working with academic departments and faculty to permit students to make up missed work wherever possible.

Employee Treatment
Employees should contact their health care providers by phone at the onset of symptoms; it is important to call rather than visit because it could serve as a preventative measure for uninfected individuals. Patients should also communicate directly with their health care providers if they have questions and concerns about their illness, or if they are experiencing more severe symptoms such as shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest, sudden dizziness, confusion or severe or persistent vomiting.

• QCC is not requiring doctor's notes for employees' extended leaves due to ILI. 
• Employees who do not have enough paid sick time to cover their absence, should contact Human Resources to discuss options.
  

Supervisor and Faculty Responsibility

Supervisors will ask employees exhibiting ILI symptoms to leave work and follow isolation guidelines. Disposable masks are available at various locations throughout the campus.

Reporting Procedure (for QCC Faculty and Staff)

The Process:
 
The criteria for reporting of Influenza-Like Illness are:

•    You have the flu
•    Students in your class who were absent due to flu
•    Your Co-worker was absent with the flu

Please note, official testing for the flu is NOT occurring and physicians are using flu like symptoms for all cases.

What to report:

•    The Name of the Student/s and the date of absences
•    The Name of the Employee/s  (including yourself) and indicate if faculty or staff
•    Indicate whether you are reporting the person as a student or staff member
•    All supervisors are asked to report this information for their area

Please note, all names will be held confidential and are used so we do not send in duplicate numbers.

How to report it:

Complete the online form

When to report your weekly cumulative report:

•    Any time within the reporting week through Thursday.

Frequently Asked Questions
If I have a family member at home who is sick with 2009 H1N1 flu, should I go to school or work?

Individuals who are well but who have an ill family member at home with 2009 H1N1 flu can go to work as usual. These individuals should monitor their health every day, and take everyday precautions including covering their coughs and sneezes and washing their hands often with soap and water, especially after they cough or sneeze. If soap and water are not available, they should use an alcohol-based hand rub.* They should continue to monitor their health every day, and stay home if they get sick. For more information please see http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

World Health Organization

U.S. Government Flu guidance website

Massachusetts Department of Public Health