Dear Faculty and Staff:
As the H1N1 influenza A continues circulating widely worldwide, health officials expect cases to keep increasing in the United States in the next few months since influenza transmission typically spreads more rapidly during the fall and winter. Those patterns suggest that University students, faculty and staff could be exposed to someone with H1N1 flu -- either on or off campus – and contract the illness.
On Aug. 5, 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidelines about the best ways to prevent spreading the H1N1 flu. Based on that information, the University has developed new recommendations for when University students, faculty or staff should stay home from work or school. These recommendations supersede the guidance provided by the University on June 30, 2009. (The University will communicate separately with students and parents.).
Guidelines for Faculty, Staff and Health-Care Workers
- University faculty and staff who are well but have a family member at home with H1N1 flu: Can go to work as usual. These employees should monitor their health every day. If they become ill, they should notify their supervisors and stay home using available leave (sick leave, vacation, bonus leave or flexible furlough program). Employees who have an underlying medical condition or who are pregnant should call their health-care providers for advice or care – including whether they should receive influenza antiviral drugs to prevent illness – before reporting to work.
People who are at high risk of complications from H1N1 infection – for example, persons with certain chronic medical conditions, children less than 5 years or adults 65 years or older and pregnant women – should consider their risk of exposure if they attend public gatherings in communities where influenza A virus is circulating.
- Employees who are experiencing an acute respiratory illness with a fever greater than 100.4 degrees along with cough, nasal congestion or sore throat: Should not come to work and should stay away from others (self isolate). Those who wish to seek medical care should contact their health-care provider to report illness by telephone or other means before seeking care. If persons with these symptoms must leave their home (for example, to seek medical care or other necessities), they should cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. A surgical loose-fitting mask can be helpful, but a tissue or other covering is appropriate, too. They should stay home from work, school and any community gatherings for 24 hours after their fever resolves. Their fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine (antipyretic). Employees should use available leave (sick leave, vacation, bonus leave or flexible furlough program) if they need to stay home from work.
University health-care workers
- University health-care workers who have exposures at home to known or suspected novel H1N1: Should take their temperature each day and NOT come to work if they develop a fever with sore throat or cough.
- Health-care workers who develop a fever at work with a sore throat or cough: Should immediately go home.
- Health-care workers with a fever and cough or sore throat: Should remain home for 24 hours after their fever resolves. Their fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine (antipyretic) before they may return to work. If they still have respiratory symptoms they should wear a mask while providing patient care until asymptomatic.
- Health-care workers may work with a cough or other upper respiratory symptoms in all units except the Neonatal Critical Care, Pediatric Critical Care and Bone Marrow Transplant Units: Employees in these units who develop respiratory symptoms even if without a fever should be evaluated by the University’s Occupational Health Clinic. In other units, health-care workers with respiratory symptoms without a fever may work if they wear a mask at all times while providing patient care and practicing appropriate hand hygiene.
- If a UNC Health Care employee is exposed to a patient with novel H1N1 (for example, within three feet without wearing a mask): The UNC Health Care System will offer post-exposure prophylaxis only if the employee’s immune system is compromised, the employee is at high risk for complications if they develop influenza or the employee is pregnant (after consultation with the employee's obstetrician). Such employees should take their temperature before coming to work and should not come to work if they develop a fever as well as any respiratory symptoms.
CDC Tips to Fight H1N1 Flu
Although H1N1 flu has proven to be relatively mild and responsive to anti-viral drugs, the CDC recommends that everyone take the following actions to stay healthy:
- 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 sanitizers can be used if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Avoid close contact with sick people.
The University's Department of Environment, Health and Safety, http://www.ehs.unc.edu/healthy/h1n1.shtml, is leading Carolina's response to the H1N1 flu in collaboration with the UNC Health Care System, UNC General Administration, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Orange County Department of Public Health.
Information about H1N1 is updated as conditions warrant on Alert Carolina, http://alertcarolina.unc.edu, and on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.
Sincerely,
University Emergency Warning Committee
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