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Following Thanksgiving break, the isolation
guidelines for students with
roommates will change. After students return to campus November 29, if they
are
instructed by a health professional to isolate they
will be asked to isolate in their own rooms whether or not they have a roommate.
Note: For students without a roommate, this is not a change.
If you live with a roommate who wishes
to relocate during your recuperation
please let her know that she should contact Public Safety (ext. 2490) to
be
given a room in Smith's residence at 44 Green Street.
This change allows the
ill student -- the individual who is most in
need of
rest -- to stay in her room regardless of her roommate assignment. The
well student will be able to maintain her regular schedule from her temporary
location. Self-isolation is recommended until a student is fever free
without medication for at least 24 hours.
Please note, students who are self-isolating
must follow these guidelines:
- Avoid
contact with other residents and wear a face mask on trips to
and from the restroom.
- Call the residential staff if they need a flu kit. The
flu kit
includes facemasks, tissues, hand sanitizer, water and juice.
- Arrange by e-mail
or phone to have a friend or housemate bring meals
to their room and leave the food outside the door until they can put on a
face mask and retrieve the tray. Please email Kathy Zieja (kzieja@smith.edu)
in dining services the name of the person who will be picking up meals for
you.
- Contact their faculty regarding their isolation.
Smith is beginning to receive limited
supplies of H1N1 vaccine, both the type that can be inhaled through the nasal
cavity and the type that is injected. Please go online to sign up for an appointment
to receive the vaccine. www.timecenter.com/healthservices
Seasonal Flu Vaccine
The seasonal
flu vaccine is temporarily unavailable. Additional vaccine is expected but
a campus "flu shot" clinic is not currently planned. Please note that seasonal
flu vaccine will not protect against H1N1 flu.
The first shipments of H1N1 vaccine have
begun to arrive in Massachusetts. However,
the initial distribution is quite small and, at least initially, there will
be inadequate supplies of vaccine to host a large flu shot clinic. As additional
vaccine is received, Smith will expand eligibility.
Because the initial availability
of H1N1 vaccine is limited, please notify a nurse at Health Services (ext.
2813) if you have one of the qualifying conditions that would put you on a
priority list for receiving the vaccine:
- you are pregnant
- you are a person who lives with or provides care for infants who are less
than six months old -- for example, parents and daycare providers
- you are a student or staff member 24 and younger and have medical conditions
that put you at higher risk for influenza-related complications. These
conditions include immunosuppression (by medications or HIV), renal, metabolic
disorders (including diabetes), chronic pulmonary (including asthma), hepatic,
hematologic, and neurologic/neuromuscular disorders.
Only one dose of H1N1 vaccine will be needed for people 10 years of age and older.
The initial vaccine allocations are expected to be the attenuated, live virus
nasal spray. This vaccine can only be used in people between the ages of 2 and
49 who are not allergic to eggs and do not have underlying medical conditions.
*
Note: you cannot get the flu from the vaccine and the H1N1 vaccines are made
the same way as seasonal flu vaccine. |
