H1N1 Virus (Swine Flu) Update-Note to UNH Community from President Huddleston
Dear Members of the UNH Community,
I am writing to assure you that we are closely monitoring the H1N1 virus (Swine flu). Paul Dean, UNH director of emergency management, receives frequent daily briefings from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NHDHHS), and is briefing both the President's Cabinet and the University Emergency Group (UEG). We will provide frequent updates on the UNH Web site, www.unh.edu.
UNH has a strong pandemic plan in place. The UEG met today to review both the status of the current outbreak and the UNH plan components. All elements of the university - academic departments, student life, athletics, and so forth - are covered in this plan. There is no need for additional plans from individual units or departments.
At this point, we want you to take reasonable precautions to minimize your risk of becoming infected. These include:
- Stay at home if you have flu-like symptoms. We also recommend that you call your primary care physician. If symptoms appear while on campus, go to Health Services to be seen by a health care provider there.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
We also advise bookmarking the CDC's Web site, www.cdc.gov/swineflu , which regularly updates the status of the outbreak.
While we have not had to deal with a flu outbreak exactly like this before, we are well-prepared to do so if cases are identified in New Hampshire or at the university.
For general questions about the H1N1 virus, you may call the hotline that has been established by the state, 1-888-330-6764. The most current information about the university will be posted on www.unh.edu
Thank you.
Mark W. Huddleston
President
