For Parents

Lewis & Clark is committed to protecting the health and safety of our students.  Our staff have been working diligently through the summer and fall to monitor the worldwide outbreak of the H1N1 virus and to prepare appropriately for cases that may arise at the college.  We are partnering with the Oregon Public Health Division and our county health department, and we have been following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What we are telling students

Our key messages to students are straight from the CDC:  Wash your hands, cover your cough, and isolate yourself should you become ill.  

We will be encouraging students who become ill to communicate by phone with our Student Health Service at 503-768-7165 as soon as possible.   At hours when our Health Service is closed, we will be encouraging students to call our nursing consultation service  (1-800-607-5501) for assessment and guidance.   Campus Living staff will also be a resource for our residential students.  Students with relationships with medical providers in the community are encouraged to touch base with those providers. 

Supporting students who become sick

Students who experience flu-like illness will be provided support to isolate themselves during their illness and for 24 hours after their fever is gone.  We are providing students who might become ill with flu kits that will help them safely stay in isolation.  The flu kits will contain items like hand sanitizer, tissues, thermometers, and masks.  We also have plans for how meals can be delivered to residential  students who are isolating themselves.

Students who have a residence in close proximity to campus that they can reach by private transportation will be encouraged to recover at home.

Vaccinations 

Over the course of the fall semester we have held two seasonal flu vaccine clinics with a third clinic scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 5.

We are told by public health officials that the vaccine for H1N1 is slowing coming to the state and we hope to have it available for students mid to late Novemember.

Of course the current situation with H1N1 is ever evolving.  Our staff will continue to monitor the situation and react accordingly.  Updates will be made to this website as information becomes available.  The CDC will have the most up to date information regarding the pandemic.

What you can do

While working hard to maintain a healthy campus and leveraging many communication outlets to reach all students, we also ask for your help in engaging your son or daughter in a dialogue about this matter.  Parents can support our efforts by encouraging your students to:

• Take steps to prevent the flu:  Cover cough, wash hands, isolate if sick.  This isolation should extend to not attending classes, internships, field placements, student activities, athletics, and other events, as well as not eating in community dining areas. 

• Call the Student Health Service (503-768-7165) or Nurse Consultation line (1-800-607-5501) after hours) if they experience flu-like symptoms.

• If they have a high-risk medical condition (respiratory disease, notably asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or immunosuppression) contact the Student Health Service as soon as possible for medical guidance.

• Minimize contact with sick people.  Communicate with isolating friends via email, text, phone.

• Read email communications from the College that address H1N1 flu.

• Check the website (go.lclark.edu/h1n1) often for updates. 

In case of emergency

Know when to refer your child to emergency medical care

As a general rule, if students ever have a life-threatening health care emergency on campus, they should call 911 and then contact Campus Safety at 503-768-7777.  If students ever have a health care emergency which is not life-threatening, they should call Campus Safety first.  Off-campus students should just dial 911.