We are working closely with state and county health departments to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take at FDU. We will keep this page updated with new information as it becomes available to us.

Students, faculty, and staff who are NOT sick can safely come to class and to work.  We are working closely with the health department and will keep you updated with any important information regarding the current flu conditions.

We are also doing everything we can to keep our institution operating as usual as the Fall semester begins and continues. Here are a few things you can 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 don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands.  Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth; germs are spread this way.
  
• Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. A fever is a temperature, taken with a thermometer, that is equal to or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius. Look for possible signs of fever: if the person feels very warm, has a flushed appearance, or is sweating or shivering.
  
• Stay home if you have flu or flu-like illness for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever equal to or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius.This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen).  Don’t go to class or work. 
  
• Talk with your health care providers about whether you should be vaccinated. Also if you are at higher risk for flu complications from 2009 H1N1 flu, you should consider getting the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available. People at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 flu complications include pregnant women and people with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes). For more information about priority groups for vaccination, visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm.

If this year’s flu season becomes more severe, we will consider the following additional steps to prevent the spread of the virus, in consultation with state health agencies:

• Allow students, faculty, and staff at higher risk for complications to stay home.  These students, faculty, and staff should make this decision in consultation with their health care provider.
  
• Find ways to increase social distances (the space between people) in classrooms such as moving desks farther apart, leaving empty seats between students, and using distance learning resources like FDU's Webcampus.
  
• Extend the time sick students, faculty, or staff stay home or in their residence. During severe flu conditions sick people should stay home for at least 7 days, even if they feel better sooner. Those who are still sick after 7 days should continue to stay home until at least 24 hours after symptoms have gone away. Symptoms of flu include fever or chills and cough or sore throat. In addition, symptoms of flu can include runny nose, body aches, headache, tiredness, diarrhea, or vomiting.
  
• Suspend classes.  This decision will be made together with local and state public health officials. The length of time classes should be suspended will depend on the goal of suspending classes as well as the severity and extent of illness.

For more information about flu in our community and what our institution is doing, visit this page (www.fdu.edu/flu) or call your campus Wellness Center as shown at right.

For the most up-to-date information on flu, visit www.flu.gov, or call 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636).

We will notify you using FDU's previously established and tested FDU Alert System of any additional changes to our institution’s strategy to prevent the spread of flu on our campus.