Flu expected on campus
Michael Brophy
Issue date: 9/16/09 Section: News
Maine has one of the highest infection rates percentage-wise in the nation, with the illnesses concentrated mostly in the southern part of the state around Portland. Other Maine schools have already been hit. Bowdoin College announced on their website Friday, September 11, that they have eight confirmed cases among students.
Over the summer, the College took several steps to prepare for H1N1. The first was to assemble an H1N1 emergency response team made up of administrators across campus. The College also modified its pandemic flu plan for the H1N1 virus, increased cleaning by the Physical Plant Department (PPD) and placed more anti-bacterial hand sanitizer in public places around campus. Captain Safety Bruce McDougal of the Human Resources department also met with state officials during the summer to confer about strategies to both prevent and contain the virus.
For all the work the administration has done to prepare for this year, the most important people in the fight against H1N1 are students. Simple hygienic practices such as frequent hand washing, covering one's cough or sneeze and avoiding infected patients are the best things that students can do right now. Dr. Berkner also urges students to attend the seasonal flu vaccine clinic in Pulver from September 21-25, and the H1N1 clinic that will be held in late October or early November, depending on when the vaccine becomes available.
If a student is infected, the most important step to take is self-isolation. Due to a dearth of extra space, the College has not designated an area to quarantine infected patients, so it is very important that students who contract H1N1 stay in their own rooms to minimize the spread of the virus.
For more in-depth coverage of the H1N1 virus and its impact on the surrounding community, see next week's issue of the Echo.
Over the summer, the College took several steps to prepare for H1N1. The first was to assemble an H1N1 emergency response team made up of administrators across campus. The College also modified its pandemic flu plan for the H1N1 virus, increased cleaning by the Physical Plant Department (PPD) and placed more anti-bacterial hand sanitizer in public places around campus. Captain Safety Bruce McDougal of the Human Resources department also met with state officials during the summer to confer about strategies to both prevent and contain the virus.
For all the work the administration has done to prepare for this year, the most important people in the fight against H1N1 are students. Simple hygienic practices such as frequent hand washing, covering one's cough or sneeze and avoiding infected patients are the best things that students can do right now. Dr. Berkner also urges students to attend the seasonal flu vaccine clinic in Pulver from September 21-25, and the H1N1 clinic that will be held in late October or early November, depending on when the vaccine becomes available.
If a student is infected, the most important step to take is self-isolation. Due to a dearth of extra space, the College has not designated an area to quarantine infected patients, so it is very important that students who contract H1N1 stay in their own rooms to minimize the spread of the virus.
For more in-depth coverage of the H1N1 virus and its impact on the surrounding community, see next week's issue of the Echo.
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