NWC’s first confirmed swine flu case

President Paul Prestwich addresses the community

We have learned that Northwest College has had its first confirmed case of H1N1 influenza (swine flu). We have a team of key individuals -- led by Vice President Dana Young -- working on and implementing strategies to help prevent the flu and to communicate information to students, parents, faculty and staff, and our community. We are also working closely with the State of Wyoming and Park County to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning the College.

To help prevent further cases of the H1N1 flu or the regular seasonal flu, we are asking for everyone’s help. It is also important for the campus community to know what Northwest College is doing and is prepared to do to help prevent further cases of influenza.

What can you do to help?

• Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners also are effective.
• Practice respiratory etiquette by covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that the symptoms of H1N1 flu are similar to the symptoms of regular seasonal flu: fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, and coughing. Some individuals with H1N1 flu have also reported sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
• Stay home if you have the flu or a flu-like illness for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit/38 degrees Celsius or higher) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen).
• Supervisors should encourage faculty and staff to stay home if they have the flu or flu-like symptoms.
• Talk with your health care provider(s) about whether you should be vaccinated for seasonal flu. If you are at higher risk for flu complications from 2009 H1N1 flu, you should also consider getting the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available.
• Consider putting together a "flu kit" that might include a digital thermometer, ibuprofen or acetaminophen, tissues, over-the-counter cough or sore throat medicines, fluids, and hand-sanitizer.
• Encourage students and colleagues to practice these strategies.
• Become educated about the flu. There are numerous websites, including www.flu.gov, that provide comprehensive information.

What is the College doing? The following provides an overview of our strategies:

• Within the next day or two, we will send a letter to students and their parents/guardians with information similar to what is in this memo.
• We will use our website — including the portal — to communicate information regarding flu prevention and treatment.
• We are increasing cleaning in various public areas and restrooms.
• Beginning today we are distributing more than 1,000 fliers on campus and at the Cody and Worland Centers. These fliers — which outline steps to avoid contracting the flu — will be sent to all residence hall students and employees and made available in public restrooms, the Dining Hall, and 7th Street Grille.
• We will have plans to keep key offices covered in the event of staff absences.
• When flu shots become available to us after October 1, we quickly will make those available for a nominal fee to residence hall students. Should we have enough shots on hand after offering them to students, we will make those accessible to faculty, staff, and non-residential students. These will be the regular seasonal flu shots; a vaccine for the H1N1 flu is not yet available.
• We are ordering hundreds of bottles of hand sanitizers and boxes of disinfecting wipes for faculty, staff, and students. Although the NWC maintenance staff will increase the cleaning of public areas and restrooms, we encourage everyone to use sanitizers to clean doorknobs, computer keyboards, and other items that are touched often.
• Even with our residence halls at full capacity, we have nine study rooms that can be quickly converted to residential space for infected students. Self-isolation is important for anyone (student, faculty, or staff) who has the flu.

We are fortunate that we have not yet seen as many cases of the flu as have other colleges and universities. However, it is likely that more cases will follow here and elsewhere. If we work together to help prevent the flu, we can help mitigate the situation.

We will keep the campus community updated on this issue. In the meantime, please keep yourself as healthy as possible.