Official H1N1 Flu Response: As announced in IIT Today

Several students have fallen ill this season with flu-like symptoms (fever, coughing, and body aches, etc.), and Student Health Services and Human Resources would like to take the opportunity to remind the IIT community of how to minimize your risk and stay healthy, and what to do if you become sick with the flu. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines state that only patients whose illness requires hospitalization will be tested for the H1N1 flu strain, so it is important to treat all flu-like illnesses with the same level of caution. 



Anyone with flu-like symptoms should stay home. Do not come to work or school.
Students should call Student Health Services at 312.567.7550, and faculty and staff should contact their healthcare provider, and stay home for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen). Students should inform instructors for any missed classes, and IIT employees should let your immediate supervisor know if you have the flu or flu-like symptoms.



Stay Healthy
As you may know, flu can be spread easily from person to person, mainly via droplets produced by coughs and sneezes. Here are a few things you need to do to help keep yourself and those around you healthy:
Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners also are effective. You can find sanitizing fluid dispensers throughout the campus, and are encouraged to use them.
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.

H1N1 Vaccine
Each year, millions of Americans safely receive seasonal flu vaccines. The H1N1 vaccine is made the same way as seasonal flu vaccine by the same companies that make seasonal flu vaccine. The NIH has conducted clinical trials for the H1N1 vaccine. The vaccine has been tested and safely used in children, pregnant woman, and adults. More info on the vaccine is available on the CDC website.



Student Health Services has H1N1 vaccinations available to students at no cost on an appointment-only basis. Interested students should call Student Health Services at 312.567.7550 to make an appointment.



The vaccine is initially available in limited quantities, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that key groups receive the vaccine first, including people 18 - 24 years of age, because many cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in these healthy young adults and they often live, work, and study in close proximity, and they are a frequently mobile population. Other priority groups include pregnant women and people age 25 - 64 who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza. Once the demand for vaccine for the prioritized groups has been met, availability is expected to expand to other populations.



H1N1 Vaccines Available to High Risk Groups
County and city health departments have scheduled vaccine clinics where residents can be vaccinated at no cost. Check below for more information on clinics and availability in you area, or contact your local health department:

Chicago
Dupage County
Lake County