Otterbein is taking steps to prevent H1N1 from taking over campus.
The college expects students to stay home if they have any flu-like symptoms like fever, flushed appearance, body aches, diarrhea, vomiting, runny nose, cough, chills and sore throat.
According to Robert Gatti, vice president of Student Affairs, ill students with severe symptoms must stay home until they are free of symptoms for at least 24 hours. "H1N1 is a problem for everyone," Gatti said. "The public health officials predict it could strike up to 50 percent of the U.S. population. Currently, we are following the guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for colleges and universities."
The college will quarantine students. "Part of our plan is to set aside rooms that are currently vacant," Tracy Benner, director of residence life said. "The use of these spaces will be handled on a case-to-case basis because, in many cases, it may make sense for the ill student to remain in their permanent room and their roommate, who is not feeling ill, to move temporarily to one of the open spaces."
Jessica Daily, junior broadcasting major, was encouraged to leave campus after visiting the health center. "He [the doctor] came in and checked me out after hearing my symptoms and…he asked me where home was," she said. "I told him that I am living on campus, and he then asked me where "home" home was, and I told him Chillicothe. He asked if it would be possible for me to go there and stay until I did not have a fever for 24 hours. He then told me that I had H1N1."
According to Daily, Student Affairs staff contacted her roommates the next day informing them that she might have H1N1.
"We've only had a couple presumptive cases, none for sure," said Ann Pryfogle, director of health services and RN at the Health Center. According to Pryfogle, there is no seasonal flu around right now. If students show symptoms, they will presume that it is H1N1.
The Health Center does offer a $15 swab test for influenza A, but "the specificity is not good."
H1N1 is "just caused by a different virus, just another kind of flu," Pryfogle said.
Campus security is also taking further precautions when dealing with students that are thought to be ill. Officers and students will be wearing "protective equipment" when escorting students around campus.
"For example, if it becomes an issue, our guys have the option of asking the student that is being escorted that they'd be glad to escort them, but they're going to have to wear a mask," Larry Banaszak, director of Security, said.
Faculty and staff are expected to follow the same policy. "I was ill for three to four days," Caitlin Tully, assistant director for the Center for Community Engagement and Mayne hall director, said. "Otterbein asked me to monitor my fever and to not return to work until my fever was reduced…I was allowed to leave campus to recover on my own and Otterbein did not ask me to do so."
The H1N1 vaccine is expected to be out in the fall. Pryfogle expects that the vaccine will be here by December, so the students will have access to it in January of 2010.
According to the CDC, certain groups of the population will receive the H1N1 vaccine first: "pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems."
Otterbein expects to give this vaccine to Otterbein students free of charge, whereas other clinics and pharmacies might charge a fee.
Pryfogle believes that education is vital in preventing infection. "You're very contagious 24 hours before you even feel bad," she said. She highly encouraged washing hands, staying home when sick and disinfecting surfaces. t&c;
