For Students

Just been asked to isolate and live on campus?

Just been asked to isolate and live  off campus?

Meals for residential students

Reduce your risk

It’s no fun to be sick with the flu, so here are four simple things  you can do to keep yourself (and our community) healthy. 

1. Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
2. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.  If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands.
3. Stay at home or in your room (for residential students) if you are sick with flu symptoms .  Isolating yourself can prevent others from getting sick.   Isolate yourself for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen). 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.  Ask a roommate, friend, or family member to check up on you and  bring you food and supplies if needed. For residential students who need help with meals, contact the Student Health Service, or click here for more information.
4. Talk to the Student Health Service or your health care provider to find out if you should be vaccinated for seasonal flu and/or 2009 H1N1 flu. Information about 2009 H1N1 flu vaccination can be found at: www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination. Information about seasonal flu vaccine can be found at: www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm.  Check the Student Health Service News section of this website for flu vaccine clinic information.    

• Students who are experiencing flu-like illness should telephone the Student Health Service (503-768-7165) to report their illness and determine whether they need medical consultation.  As a reminder, the Student Health Service is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, serving all enrolled students.   Students may also access the Nurse Consultation Line during hours the Student Health Service is closed at 800-607-5501.  Students may also choose to access health care providers off-campus. 

• Students who need to isolate themselves need to contact their faculty by e-mail or phone as soon as possible to communicate their situation.  Faculty have been instructed that they should not impose academic penalties on students for reasonable periods of isolation.  Students who believe they are being unfairly penalized should talk with the instructor.  If this conversation does not resolve the situation, students should contact the department chairperson. 

• If you must leave your home or residence hall room (e.g., to seek medical care), you should cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.  A surgical loose-fitting mask can be helpful if you have access to it, but a tissue or other covering is appropriate as well.
• Residential students whose family live close to campus are encouraged to return home during the isolation period, if possible.   Travel home should be done by private vehicle rather than public transportation to minimize exposure to others.  Residential students who must travel by public transportation to go home should probably NOT go home, because of the risk of spreading infection while on public transportation.  Students who are isolating should not have visitors other than those designated to care for them or deliver meals.  Ideally, only one person should be responsible to care for or deliver meals to a student during the isolation period.  Staff and faculty may check in on students via email, text messaging, or phone calls. This is to minimize the number of people in contact with an isolating student.

• If close contact with others cannot be avoided, for example in the case of a roommate, students who are isolating themselves  should wear a surgical mask during contact if available and tolerable; be vigilant in covering cough, and washing hands; dispose of used tissues in a waste basket that is emptied often; and clean all surfaces in the room  frequently.  Contact Health Promotion and Wellness for more detailed instructions.

• Students who have a medical condition that puts them at increased risk of severe illness from flu, or develop severe symptoms such as increased fever, shortness of breath, chest pain  or pressure, or rapid breathing should seek medical attention immediately.  Certain medical conditions increase the risk of severe and fatal illness. These include respiratory disease, notably asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and immunosuppression.  Pregnant women are also at increased risk.  If you are at higher risk, contact the Student Health Service at 503-768-7165.  For more information, see the CDC site for Information for Specific Groups.

Please note:  We know that some faculty have historically adopted attendance policies that allow students a certain number of absences without penalty.   We strongly advise that students should always be attending class when they are not ill, because students may need to miss class if they later become ill with the flu.

• If you notice that a friend or roommate is sick with flu-like symptoms, encourage them to contact the Student Health Service by phone (503-768-7165) to determine if they need medical consultation.

• If a friend is instructed to self-isolate, avoid contact with them until the isolation period is over.  You may check in with them via email, text messaging, or phone. 

• For Residential Students: If you are a roommate of an isolating student, minimize close contact as much as possible.  If the isolating student has a separate sleeping area or bedroom, encourage them to stay in that separate room as much as possible.  Ideally, only one person should be caring for/providing meals for the ill student.  Clean shared surfaces (desks, tables, computer areas, sinks, restrooms, door knobs, etc) frequently.  Practice vigilant hand washing, and minimize contact as much as possible.  Contact Health Promotion and Wellness for more detailed instructions.

• For Non-Residential Students: If you are living with a roommate or family member that is self-isolating minimize contact with that person as much as possible, and follow the CDC guidelines for Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home.