RPInsider

This is an illustrative device to show you how your favorite RPI blog reports on stuff before the other guys.

So it seems that our top-notch uber-serious reporting has beat the local news by just under a week. We reported our first case of H1N1 last Friday, and that the magic number of cases that the local media requires before they swarm campus is 5. There have been 5 reported cases of alleged H1N1 on campus. Our favorite comment by “real” media? Tweeted by @WTEN: “Swine flu has reached the RPI campus….but youll be surprised on how students are laxed about it.” What good is fear and panic? Damn straight RPI.

Times Union story.
WTEN’s story and video here.

photo: flickr user Paul-W

Dr Lawrence’s update to the campus is after the jump:

To:    The Rensselaer Community
From:  Leslie Lawrence, M.D.
Medical Director, Student Health Center,
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Re:    H1N1 Influenza

Date:  September 23, 2009

I would like to provide a brief update on the status of H1N1 influenza
on campus. To date, four students have been diagnosed with an
influenza-like illness that is most likely H1N1 influenza. Two students
have recovered; one was taken home to get well; and the last of the four
is an isolation room and thus far is recovering well.

I will continue to provide updates on the number of cases. If the
patterns at other universities are any guide, the number of cases could
change very quickly.

You may have noticed that hand sanitizers and wipes have been placed in
most buildings around campus. Keep an eye out for them and use them
often through the flu season.

As always, your best protections against the flu include:

* Washing your hands often, especially after shaking hands with others
(hand disinfectants may be used if there is no access to soap and
water);

* Avoiding close contact with people who are sick;

* Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing;

* Covering your mouth and nose with the inside of your elbow if you do
not have a tissue;

* Not touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, especially after contact with
others; and

* Keeping a three-foot [one-meter] distance between yourself and anyone
who is ill.

Rensselaer students, faculty, and staff are advised to contact a
physician immediately if they experience flu-like symptoms, such as
fever (100 degrees F [37.8 degrees C] or higher), cough, sore throat,
runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and, less
frequently, diarrhea and vomiting. Students who have any of these
symptoms should immediately call the Student Health Center at (518)
276-6287 to make an appointment. Faculty and staff who have these
symptoms should contact their personal physicians. Anyone on the
Rensselaer campus with flu-like symptoms should not attend class or work
until at least 24 hours after their fever subsides.

We recently learned that we should expect the first H1N1 vaccine in
mid-October instead of the end of the month as we previously
believed. We will be in touch as the distribution process is finalized.

We currently have a limited supply of the regular seasonal flu vaccine,
and will begin vaccine clinics late next week. A full schedule will be
posted soon on the Student Health Center Web site at
http://studenthealth.rpi.edu/ and in The Poly. Please note that this is
separate from the H1N1 vaccine and does not protect you from H1N1
influenza. It is still being recommended by the CDC that people receive
both vaccines this flu season. Unfortunately, we have also had
indications that the rest of our seasonal influenza vaccine supply will
NOT be arriving on time as expected. This means we will start our
seasonal flu vaccine campaign with one-half the expected doses. This
will be distributed to high risk students and then the rest of the
student population first. Therefore I would recommend that all faculty
and staff receive seasonal flu vaccine from their personal medical
providers if possible. If that situation changes, I will let you know as
soon as possible.

Additional information is posted on our H1N1 Web-site at

http://www.rpi.edu/about/flu/index.html.

Please take care.

Leslie Lawrence, M.D.
Medical Director, Student Health Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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