|
H1N1 Flu Updates
May 1, 2009
Dear Members of the Goucher Community and Goucher Families:
I want to update you on the precautions Goucher College is taking in light of the national spread of the H1N1 influenza A virus, also known as swine flu.
As of today, there have been no cases of the strain detected at Goucher. However, at least nine cases of the flu are suspected in the state of Maryland.
Earlier this week, I sent an email to all Goucher students, faculty, and staff, telling them about certain precautions they can take to remain healthy. Goucher College has a written pandemic flu plan that identifies steps we should take at different levels of World Health Organization (WHO) alerts. We also have a pandemic flu task force in place, and its members have begun meeting and consulting regularly to monitor the situation. We have an excellent staff in our Health and Counseling Center that is following developments around the state, the region, the country, and the world. We have taken other measures as well:
- Our food service provider, Bon Appetit, has implemented special precautions with employees, such as repeated hygiene reminders and the wrapping of individual dessert and other “pick-up” items.
- Our housekeeping staff has been advised to make sure all restrooms on campus are fully stocked with anti-bacterial soap, paper towels, and hand-washing reminders.
- We are in the process of purchasing an adequate number of surgical masks, should any of our students, faculty, or staff request them. Although officials at the Centers for Disease Control do not require or recommend the use of masks at this time, they do say that use of masks may help reduce the risk of spreading influenza, and possibly of catching it.
- Goucher’s health center is also stocking up on “flu kits” for students, and we will be checking students who report flu-like symptoms. Anyone suspected of having this particularly virulent strain of the flu will be isolated immediately.
We continue to urge all members of our immediate community to wash their hands often, and for a duration of at least 20 seconds each time. It is also extremely important to cover one’s mouth with tissues whenever coughing or sneezing. It may seem simplistic, or even annoying, to keep issuing or hearing these instructions, but they are really the most effective precautions we can take. As everyone surely realizes by now, this flu is very serious.
Parents and families, I urge you to be in regular contact with your student to remind them to take necessary health precautions and make sure they feel well.
Students, if you do develop flu-like symptoms, please CALL (before visiting) the health center at 410-337-6050. The health center is open Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm. Students needing emergency/urgent care or a pharmacy when the health center is closed may visit www.goucher.edu/health, which lists contact information for many excellent nearby medical facilities, as well as the 24/7 health hotline number that connects you to a registered nurse for general health questions and concerns.
Faculty and staff, if you experience flu-like symptoms, do not come to campus.
In spite of all of these precautions and good intentions, there is obviously no way I, or anyone else, can guarantee that the H1N1 flu virus will not hit our campus. We are as vulnerable as any other institution with a large number of people who come together daily, and any community whose members frequently travel to other places and return. I can tell you that the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff is always our first priority. To that end, we will continue to monitor the situation and check in with our local health officials as well as our colleagues at area colleges and universities. And I will continue to send you any relevant updates.
Sandy Ungar
Sanford J. Ungar, President
Goucher College
1021 Dulaney Valley Road
Baltimore, MD 21204
Office: 410-337-6040 Fax: 410-337-6055
sungar@goucher.edu