Stay safe and informed on swine flu developments

by Kathleen McCoy  |   

Dear UAA students, faculty and staff:

The University of Alaska Anchorage is aware of the nationwide public health concern regarding swine influenza, or swine flu, cases reported in the United States. There have not been any cases of swine flu reported in the state of Alaska. UAA staff will work closely with local, state and national health agencies to investigate any illnesses or infections. You should remain calm, be aware and prepared. The university has plans in place to deal with any potential outbreaks and staff are prepared and have recently completed emergency preparedness training.

Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of regular influenza and can include fever, cough, sore throat, chills, headache, fatigue and body aches. Gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea may be present as well. The illness may last up to seven days, but people are considered to be contagious as long as symptoms persist. If you or anyone you know is showing mild flu-like symptoms, monitor them and speak with your physician or the Student Health and Counseling Center at (907) 786-4040.

The university wants to remind everyone of the importance of prevention and how to stay safe.

What You Can Do To Prevent the Spread of Swine Flu

  • Sneeze or cough into a tissue, elbow or sleeve.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
  • Avoid physical contact with anyone who displays flu-like symptoms.

Please remember that students and employees should consider staying home when any of the following symptoms occur: fever above 100 degrees, heavy nasal congestion, frequent cough, vomiting, diarrhea, blistery rash or if you have been diagnosed with a contagious illness.

If you have any questions about swine flu, please call the Anchorage Department of Health and Human Services at (907) 343-6718 or www.muni.org/oem/flu.cfm or visit the Centers for Disease Control Web site, www.cdc.gov, click on "I" for infectious disease and then "swine flu" in the right column.

Creative Commons License "Stay safe and informed on swine flu developments" is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.