Facts About H1N1 (Swine Flu)
Introduction
Students who become ill with symptoms of the flu should call Student Health Services at 312.567.7550 or their own doctor; faculty and staff who fall ill should contact their doctor or other health care provider. In addition, please contact the appropriate person below so that we may keep track of the incidence of flu and flu-like illness in the IIT community, and provide you with any needed assistance.
| Main Campus Students: Staff: Faculty: |
Kathleen Morgan Beverly Perret Department Chair, or Dean (if no Chair) |
morgank@iit.edu perret@iit.edu |
312.567.7123 312.567.3012 |
| Chicago-Kent College of Law Students: Staff: Faculty: |
Jenna Abhijeet Dawn Rupcich Stephen Sowle |
jabhijeet@kentlaw.edu drupcich@kentlaw.edu ssowle@kentlaw.edu |
312.906.5005 312.906.5100 312.906.5282 |
| Stuart School of Business Students: Staff: Faculty: |
Naveen Prashantham Thomas Anderson Thomas Anderson |
nprashan@stuart.iit.edu anderson@stuart.iit.edu anderson@stuart.iit.edu |
312.906.6508 312.906.6525 312.906.6525 |
| Moffett Campus Students: Staff: Faculty: |
Renee McBrien John Michie Valencia Montgomery |
mcbrienr@iit.edu michie@iit.edu vmontgom@iit.edu |
708.563.8271 708.563.8261 708.563.8152 |
| Rice Campus Students: Staff: Faculty: |
Maria Kozi-O’Donnell Maria Kozi-O’Donnell Maria Kozi-O’Donnell |
mkoziodo@iit.edu mkoziodo@iit.edu mkoziodo@iit.edu |
630.682.6008 630.682.6008 630.682.6008 |
| Institute of Design Students: Staff: Faculty: |
Hugh Musick Hugh Musick Hugh Musick |
hugh@id.iit.edu hugh@id.iit.edu hugh@id.iit.edu |
312.595.4911 312.595.4911 312.595.4911 |
In addition to this section of general information for all members of the IIT community, there are additional sections later in this FAQ that address issues of particular concern to IIT staff and faculty.
In most cases, H1N1 flu (also known as swine flu) presents itself as no more severe than the seasonal flu. As a result, we are encouraging students, faculty, and staff to self-isolate in the case of illness by staying home from class, work, and events until they are well; and we are educating the IIT community about how to avoid infection and stay healthy.
Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of H1N1 and the seasonal flu are similar: fever, cough, sore throat, headaches, chills, and fatigue. 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 you feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or experience sweating or shivering.
If you are a student and have flu or flu-like symptoms, you should call Student Health Services at 312.567.7550 or your own doctor. If you are a staff member or faculty member, you should contact your doctor or other health care provider. Under current federal guidelines, you are advised to stay home for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever or signs of a fever. This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen).
Like seasonal flu, H1N1 flu is transmitted through respiratory secretions (for example, coughing or sneezing). In general, the best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated each year (more information on vaccinations appears below).
You can also reduce your risk of infection by washing your hands often. Use soap and warm water, and scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Hand sanitizers are also effective. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when you cough or sneeze, and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. You can boost your immune system by getting enough sleep, eating healthfully, exercising, and managing stress.
Keep your distance from others while you or they are sick. Staying home from work, class, and other activities helps prevent spreading your illness to others. If you are a student, Student Health Services (312.567.7550) offers a variety of services to help you stay well.
Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to get the seasonal flu vaccination in addition to the H1N1 vaccination. Getting the seasonal flu shot will help your provider know which flu you have should you get sick. It will also minimize your chance of having two types of flu at once, and help stop the spread of the seasonal flu in our community. IIT will be providing seasonal flu shots for students at a fee; faculty and staff are encouraged to get seasonal flu shots from their doctor or other health care provider at a local site.
An IIT response group has a plan that can be invoked should H1N1 become severe. One means for minimizing the impact of an infectious disease outbreak in large populations is through “social distancing” of people (that is, trying to ensure separation of at least 3–4 feet between people by, for example, having students sit every other seat in the classroom).
We encourage social distancing should that become necessary. Additional steps may include suspending or modifying events and/or suspending classes. The decision to disperse students, faculty, and staff would only be taken if the virus were to become serious.
We would make any such decisions only after consulting with public health officials and at a time when such dispersal would have a beneficial effect on mitigating the potential transmission in a highly populated, concentrated area.
The current CDC guidelines for universities expressly tell universities to stay open. That may change in the event of a major outbreak, but those decisions will be made together with public health authorities. Students should try to stay current in their studies and assignments.
Faculty members will make decisions individually about how each class will be handled, but we are encouraging faculty to be as flexible as possible with their attendance policies. Students should contact the designated person for their campus or school (see the first section of this FAQ) so that we can stay in touch with you regarding coursework and other matters.
Faculty may ask students who appear to have flu symptoms to not attend class, or to leave class, until 24 hours after they no longer have a fever or signs of a fever.
If this year’s flu season becomes severe, the university may take additional steps to prevent a spread of the viruses. The IIT community will be notified of any additional changes to the university’s plans. For the most up-to-date information on flu, visit www.flu.gov or consult the CDC fact sheet at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/swineflu_you.htm.
Additional Information for IIT Faculty and Staff
What should I do if I develop flu-like symptoms?
If you develop symptoms of the flu, you should not come to work. Please notify both your supervisor and the designated person for your campus or school (see the first section of this FAQ). If you start to feel sick while already at work, you should inform your supervisor and then go home. If symptoms are similar to those caused by H1N1 flu, or if there is uncertainty about symptoms, you should call your doctor immediately.
You should stay home for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever or signs of a fever. This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen).
What type of leave is available to me if I’m out for an extended period of time?
The university’s regular leave and time-off policies cover all types of absences and illnesses, including the H1N1 flu. There are no separate policies establishing special types of leave relating to an influenza outbreak. All current available forms of leave—including sick time, vacation time, and personal days—may be considered for use. Employees should consult their Leave Details information (under the Work tab in the myIIT Portal) to view their available sick time, vacation time, and personal days. If you are out sick for more than three days, you should call the Office of Human Resources at 312.567.3318 to discuss applying for a leave under the university’s Family and Medical Leaves of Absence (FMLA) Policy.
You can view information about all of IIT’s leave and time-off policies by going to the Work tab in the myIIT Portal (click on the link for Human Resources under the Policies and Procedures heading, and then click on the Time Off link).
Must I have a doctor’s release to return to work?
We recognize that many doctors will likely advise patients to remain home rather than come in for an examination, but we encourage you to seek a doctor’s note, if possible, if you are absent for more than three days.
May my supervisor send me home if I exhibit flu-like symptoms at work?
Employees exhibiting symptoms will be sent home. The employee's continued presence must pose no risk to the health of the employee, other employees, or students in order to remain at work. Employees ordinarily will not be sent home unless they are exhibiting flu-like symptoms.
What if a member of my family has the flu and I need to stay home to care for him/her?
Your options depend on your particular situation and the length of your family member’s illness. For a short absence, you may use available vacation time or personal days. You will need to contact your supervisor and obtain approval in order to use your vacation time or personal days. You will need to keep your supervisor notified of your anticipated return to work date. If your employment is considered an essential position, you may be required to report to work.
If you are absent for more than three days to care for an ill family member, you should notify your supervisor and consult with the Office of Human Resources at 312.567.3318 about taking time off under the Family and Medical Leaves of Absence (FMLA) Policy. A “family member” under this policy refers to an employee’s spouse, eligible domestic partner, son, daughter, or parent (but not parent-in-law).
You can view information about all of IIT’s leave and time-off policies by going to the Work tab in the myIIT Portal (click on the link for Human Resources under the Policies and Procedures heading, and then click on the Time Off link).May employees be asked to perform job duties other than their regular job?
Employees may be asked to perform additional job duties. Departments must contact the Office of Human Resources before changes are made to an employee’s work duties so that the supervisor can make an informed decision regarding changing an employee’s work assignment.
What if an employee becomes severely ill and cannot contact his/her supervisor?
If an employee is too ill to contact his or her supervisor, the employee should ask another family member or friend to contact the employee’s supervisor or other co-worker who can pass on the information to the supervisor. The family member or friend may also contact the Office of Human Resources at 312.567.3318 and Human Resources will notify the supervisor of the absence.
If the H1N1 virus continues to spread, will employees be allowed to work from home?
As noted above, we ask that employees who are ill to stay at home, in order to support their recovery and protect the health of colleagues and students. While IIT does not have an official work-at-home policy, supervisors and managers should use sound judgment in allowing employees to work from home. The severity of the H1N1 outbreak will determine the appropriateness of having healthy employees work from home. In that situation, each department will use its own discretion in identifying those employees who can perform the critical functions of their position outside of the immediate workplace. Each department should identify procedures such as calling in, participating in conference calls, and email status checks to ensure that employees working from home are still contributing to the immediate needs of the university.
I would like to wear a mask to work to reduce my chances of getting the H1N1 flu. Is this okay?
Employees may wear a protective mask (carrying the number N95) at work as a preventative measure if they wish.
More Information for IIT Faculty
What if I fall ill and am unable to teach?
Each department should develop contingency plans in case a faculty member falls ill and is unable to teach for a period of time. This may be addressed by having another faculty member teach the class, rescheduling classes for later in the semester, or use of distance-education techniques. Faculty are encouraged to place course materials online, if practical, for use by students in the event of the student’s or the professor’s absence from class.
What if a student tells me he/she is ill, or appears to have flu-like symptoms?
If a student contacts you and tells you that he or she is experiencing flu-like symptoms, please ask the student not to attend your class and to remain in the student’s room or stay at home. If you observe a student in class with flu-like symptoms, please ask the student to return home. Please make sure the student is aware of where to go for advice and support (or simply refer the student to this FAQ), and please contact the designated person for your campus or school with the student’s name. You should make a plan (via email or phone) with the student to discuss make-up work after their symptoms have cleared.
Should I revise my attendance policy?
We encourage all faculty members to be as flexible as possible with their attendance policies so as not to needlessly penalize students who fall ill. As noted above, you should make a plan with students for making up work after they are healthy again. In addition to policies on class attendance, we encourage relaxed policies for other academic attendance requirements such as participation in research studies, attendance at department/university lectures, etc.
Should I revise my policy on documenting student absences?
Since not all students may seek a medical doctor for treatment (and we expect many doctors will advise patients to remain home rather than come in for an examination), you should use your best judgment in requesting a doctor’s note before a student returns to class.