Flu Information for Parents

Dear Parents and/or Guardians,

Minnesota State Mankato continues to monitor the H1N1 Influenza situation, providing students, faculty, staff and the public with updated advisories and the latest H1N1 prevention and treatment recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the Minnesota Department of Health.

Our goal is to keep students, faculty and staff healthy, by minimizing exposure and infection.

The symptoms of H1N1 flu virus are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu: fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with H1N1 flu virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting.

You can help keep your student and his/her friends and loved ones healthy by urging him/her to take everyday actions to prevent the spread of influenza. We encourage all Minnesota State Mankato students, faculty and staff to practice the following habits:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• 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 have influenza-like symptoms.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• If you get influenza-like symptoms, stay home from work or school except to seek medical care and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

The H1N1 influenza vaccine is expected to be available sometime in the fall and we will keep the campus community informed as more specific information becomes available. We recognize that students may have continuing questions or concerns about H1N1 flu, and we will continue to provide updated information to the Minnesota State Mankato community on a regular basis.

You can be involved in our campus' prevention efforts:

• Encourage your student to practice healthy behaviors that may keep him or her from getting sick
• Stay in touch with your student if he or she does become ill
• Residence Hall students with flu-like illness who live relatively close to the campus should return to their home to keep from making others sick.
• Non-residential students with flu-like illness should self-isolate at home or at a friend’s or family member’s home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever, or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines.
• Provide self-care supplies that your student may need, such as: acetaminophen, ibuprofen, a digital thermometer, tissue, cough drops, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and beverages such as Gatorade®,
• Encourage your student to get a seasonal influenza vaccination, in addition to an H1N1 influenza vaccination when available.

Thank you for doing all that you can to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment at Minnesota State Mankato.