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**Flu symptoms include a fever of ~100o or higher (when not taking fever medicine)
plus one or more of the following: cough, sore throat, body aches. |
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- Check your temperature (before using fever-reducing medications) to determine if you might have the flu. (IMPORTANT -- get a thermometer if you don’t already have one!)
- If you have fever along with any or all of the flu symptoms noted above:
- Do not attend classes, participate in sports or go to work.
- IMPORTANT: We recommend you have your parents take you home to recover if you live within two hours of campus, preferably soon after you first develop flu symptoms. Doing so will help reduce the risk that you’ll infect others with the flu.
- Stay in your room or apartment. Exceptions are to go get medical care or to go for other necessities.
- Take care of yourself—get plenty of rest. Drink lots of fluids. Eat what your appetite allows.
- Limit contact with and keep away from others as much as possible to avoid making others sick. We recommend you consider using a face mask if or when you must be around others.
- Use fever medicines like acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or Aleve and cough medicine as needed. Carefully follow recommended dosing instructions as overdosing can be harmful. Do not use aspirin. Antiviral medicines like Tamiflu, although available, currently are NOT recommended for persons with the flu who have no underlying health problems and are not at risk for complications from the flu.
- Use tissues or your sleeve to cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. Throw tissues in the trash after using them. Wash your hands with soap and warm/hot water for 15-20 seconds or use alcohol-base hand sanitizers like Purell after coughing or sneezing. Disinfect contaminated surfaces after coughing or sneezing.
- IMPORTANT: Do not return to class/work or resume normal activities until your fever has been gone for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine.
- IMPORTANT: When should you call or go for medical help?
- If you are having problems breathing, cannot keep fluids down or are dehydrated because of vomiting or diarrhea, or have other concerns or questions, call Student Health Services (SHS) at 465-5263. If you want to be seen at SHS, please call first and let the office know you are experiencing flu symptoms. For true medical emergencies, call 911.
- If you have asthma, lung or heart disease, diabetes, heart disease, immune system problems or other chronic medical conditions, we also recommended you call or be seen by SHS or your own a health care provider.
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