Cleveland Community College is monitoring the flu situation and will provide updates as needed. The college will treat this situation as we would a seasonal flu outbreak with emphasis on good hand washing practices and proper cough etiquette. These procedures are consistent with the current information provided by state and local health officials and their pandemic plans. If the health authorities' recommendations should change in the future, CCC would follow their lead.
At this time, please use the same precautionary measures that you would during the height of winter flu season.
To avoid the flu, please keep these recommendations in mind:
- Wash your hands with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective.
- If you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth with a tissue. If you don't have one, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not your hands.
- If you are sick with a flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine). While sick, limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
- Talk to your health care provider about whether you should be vaccinated. Students, faculty, and staff who are at higher risk for complications from the 2009 H1N1 flu should consider getting the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available. This includes pregnant women and people with chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. For more information about priority groups for vaccination, visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm.
- Get plenty of sleep, exercise, eat nutritious meals, manage stress and drink plenty of fluids.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If someone you live with becomes sick, monitor your health daily and do not attend class if you develop flu-like symptoms.
Our faculty and staff will work with students regarding class absences related to flu or flu-like symptoms. As always, students should continue to notify their instructors by email regarding absence from class.
More information can be found at:
