Influenza Guidelines for Parents, from Vice President Greg Krikorian
This information should be read in addition to that provided under For Students.
If your LVC student has symptoms you feel may be associated with H1N1, and you are able, please have them call the Shroyer Health Center at 717-867-6232 with the following information: Name; best contact number; name of residence hall if resident; and, symptoms.
All of the following guidelines are based on the assumption that there will be no widespread campus shutdowns or closures. In the event of a wide-spread illness that impacts the normal functioning of the College, we will use the College’s Critical Incident Team to make appropriate decisions through working closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the CDC.
FAQs
What is H1N1?
H1N1, referred to by the Center for Disease Control as Novel H1N1 Flu, is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. This virus is spreading from person-to-person worldwide, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.
This year the College will be faced with both the seasonal influenza as well as the novel H1N1 (Swine) influenza A. Both are similar in symptoms and treatment.
Both are a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus. Once it starts to spread, up to HALF the people in the community can become infected. Flu epidemics usually last from 4 to 6 weeks. The novel H1N1 is expected to arrive in waves.
As a parent of a student at Lebanon Valley College, should I bring them home?
If possible, residential students with flu-like illness whose families live relatively close to LVC should go home to self-isolate. They should return home in a way that limits contact with others as much as possible. They should stay away from other people until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) 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). If flu severity increases, students at higher risk for flu complications including students and employees with certain chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or asthma, or who are pregnant may consider staying home while flu transmission is high in their institution community. Currently, the CDC is not recommending removing healthy students from their institutions.
Should my child who is at LVC get antiviral medicine if they get sick?
Parents should make sure their child knows if he or she is at higher risk for flu complications. People at higher risk for flu complications including students and employees with certain chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes) who become sick with flu-like illness should call their health care provider as soon as possible to determine if they need antiviral treatment. Early treatment with antiviral medicines often can prevent hospitalizations and deaths. Parents should encourage sick students who are at higher risk for flu complications to seek early treatment. Antiviral medicines are not given to all people during flu season because most people get better on their own, over-use can promote antiviral-resistant viruses, and administration of antiviral medicines can cause adverse reactions in some people.
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