Safety and Security

Notification
In the event of any emergency that calls for college status changes or closures, the college will post information:

* Phone message at 206-546-4101
* www.shoreline.edu/flu
* www.schoolreport.org
* E-mail to students and employees

Good health practices

* 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 frequently, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective;

* Try to avoid close contact with sick people;

* If you get sick, stay home and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them;

* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

With the flu season coming and increased concerns particularly over the new H1N1 strain, or swine flu, Shoreline Community College is taking steps that may ward off or limit the spread of the illness.

Through Public Health - Seattle & King County, Shoreline Community College officials are closely monitoring flu conditions and will make decisions about the best steps to take concerning the college. Updates will be made as conditions warrant.

Steps taken so far include:

Communication/education: The college will inform and update on flu-related issues using on-campus signage, voicemail, e-mail, the SCC Web site, Twitter and Facebook.

Facilities: Enhanced cleaning practices put in place this past spring are continuing. Also, non-touch dispenser for alcohol-based hand sanitizer will be installed in more than two dozen locations. Smaller dispensers will be in every classroom and made available to every employee work station.

Academics: For all appropriate classes, faculty members are developing Web-based learning options using technologies such as Blackboard and Elluminate should students or faculty be unable to attend class for extended periods due to illness.

Employees: The college is exploring sick-time donation options beyond current guidelines.

Here are a few things everyone can do to help:

Practice good hygiene: Wash hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand cleaners. When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or use your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
Know the signs and symptoms: Look for signs of fever such feeling very warm, a flushed appearance and sweating or shivering. A fever is a temperature taken with a thermometer that is equal to or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius.
Stay home if you are sick: Stay home for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever without taking fever-reducing medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

Talk with your health-care provider: Ask if you should be vaccinated for seasonal flu and about getting the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available. If this year's flu season becomes more severe, college officials may take additional steps to limit the spread of the virus and safeguard the health of students, faculty and employees

Background

The H1N1 flu, or swine flu, was first reported in Mexico in late April, 2009. While the virus rapidly spread across the globe although health officials also noted new cases are generally milder than those first reported.

The H1N1 strain appears to be quite contagious because it is a new strain, but appears to be acting much like a normal flu season. Health officials have reassessed earlier recommendations for actions by institutions such as Shoreline Community College. Public Health - Seattle & King County is not currently recommending school closures as a response to confirmed cases of swine flu. Health officials do not track where new swine flu cases come from and don't alert schools or other institutions about such cases.

There have been several deaths in Washington, but health officials say those victims generally had other serious health conditions.

What is swine flu?

* Influenza A viruses causes illness in humans and many animals.

* Some influenza A viruses are adapted to pigs and cause respiratory illness in them, and so have been called "swine flu."

* Viruses that cause swine flu do not normally infect humans, although rare human infections with swine flu have occurred.

* The swine influenza virus that is being investigated now is different than the virus that causes illness in pigs and is not being transmitted from pigs to humans. This new swine flu influenza virus appears to be more able to be transmitted person-to-person.

* Human symptoms for this new type of swine flu are similar to the symptoms of regular human influenza that happens every year. Those include fever, cough and sore throat. In addition, fatigue, lack of appetite, runny nose, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea have been reported.

* The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that the swine flu virus causing mild illness in some states is the same strain as the virus causing an outbreak of respiratory illness among humans in some areas of Mexico.

Are there cases of this new swine influenza in Washington state?

* Yes, swine influenza is confirmed in people in Washington.

Can people catch this new swine flu from eating pork?

* No. This new swine influenza virus is not transmitted by food. It is transmitted from person-to-person like human influenza viruses.

* You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and a pork product is safe.

How do people get it?

* Flu and other respiratory infections are transmitted when people cough and sneeze, spreading germs through the air, or on to surfaces that others can come in contact with.

What can people do to avoid getting sick?

* Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 second. Use alcohol-based hand rubs if washing is unavailable.

* Cover coughs and sneezes with your sleeve or a tissue

* If you're sick, stay home.

Are there medicines to treat swine flu?

* Yes, there are effective medicines to treat all human influenza viruses and this new swine influenza virus.

* Whether a person with influenza needs to take one of these medicines is a decision that must be made by the patient and their health care provider.

* These medicines are generally used to prevent serious flu complications such as pneumonia and work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).

* In addition, in special situations, these medicines may be used to prevent a person from getting ill or infected from this new swine flu.

* A vaccine to prevent people from getting this new type of flu has not yet been developed.

Where I can find more information?

* The Centers for Disease Control hotline at 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636).

* The travel health notice for Mexico and areas of the United states issued by the CDC can
be found at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm#travel

* U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm;

* World Health Organization www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html.

* Washington state Department of Health www.doh.wa.gov

* Public Health - Seattle & King County www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health.aspx