NC State maintains plans and preparation for emergency events, including the H1N1 flu.  This dynamic site will provide the latest information for NC State students, faculty and staff on pandemic influenza, travel advisories, NC State policies and other information.

NC State University Environmental Health and Safety and Student Health Services are continuously monitoring the situation and working in coordination with North Carolina Division of Health and Human Services to continue surveillance of flu cases on our campus.  The Campus Safety and Emergency Planning Team has met to discuss ongoing concerns and will work with other campus leads to deliver timely information and response. 

        

The CDC recommends that people should take everyday preventive actions. 
If you experience flu symptoms, and are a registered student, please visit Student Health for assistance.  If you are off-campus and unable to visit Student Health, please visit your regular physician or an emergency facility. 

For additional information, visit:

• Wake County Health Department
• North Carolina State Government
• NC State Student Health:  http://www.ncsu.edu/student_health
• World Health organization www.who.int
• Federal: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/
• Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov
• CDC Seasonal Flu Information: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm
• CDC H1N1 Flu Q&A:  http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm
• CDC H1N1 Flu Index: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/index.htm

                      
The above posters are Printable Educational Tools.
For more information and links: http://www.cdc.gov/germstopper/materials.htm

What is the flu? (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm)
    During the seasonal flu period of December to May, between 5% and 20% of the population in the U.S. become ill with the flu, or influenza.  The seasonal flu is a contagious respiratory illness that easier transfers between people via coughing, sneezing, etc. Symptoms may include:

How to prevent the seasonal flu 

• According to CDC, the most effective seasonal flu prevention is vaccination.  Once vaccinated, it takes approximately two weeks for your protective immunity to develop.  H1N1 vaccine is currently under development
• Student Health offers flu vaccinations to the campus population; schedules and clinic information is located on the NCSU Student Health website
• Employee vaccination clinics are scheduled on NC State campus.
  Visit the Human Resources Benefits website for information
• Basic personal health and hygiene measures will minimize infection and spread of the flu
• cover your mouth and nose while sneezing and coughing;
• dispose of tissues immediately
• wash your hands often with soap and warm water; 
• isolate yourself from others who are ill or if you become ill (social distancing); http://www.cdc.gov/germstopper/pdf/work.pdf
• contact your health care provider to discuss the availability of anti-viral medications (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/antiviral/index.htm)

                      
The above posters are Printable Educational Tools.
For more information and links: http://www.cdc.gov/germstopper/materials.htm

If you Travel Internationally


The World Health Organization (WHO), the CDC and the U.S. Department of State issue travel information, alert, warnings and announcements for public safety, personal security and health issues.  WHO, CDC and State Department advisories are updated often and may differ;
we recommend you consult these sites before traveling. When they differ, NC State recommends erring on the side of caution by following the most conservative advice.
For more international travel health information, see:

NC State Health Resources for International Travelers
     For those students, faculty and staff who plan to travel internationally, these NC State resources can provide advice on vaccinations, prophylactic medications and other health and safety precautions:

Precautions for International Travelers
If you have recently lived in, or traveled from, an area where avian flu is present and you now have a fever, headache, muscle aches or respiratory symptoms, you should call a health care provider and ask for instructions.
Students should call NC State Campus Health Services at 919-515-2563.

      
(Pictures courtesy of http://1918.pandemicflu.gov)

Background of Influenza Pandemics
A pandemic is an epidemic (an outbreak of an infectious disease) that spreads worldwide, or at least across a large region. There have been ten recorded pandemics over the past 300 years, three of which occurred in the last century (1918, 1957 and 1968).  The most deadly of the three was the pandemic of 1918 caused by a virus referred to as H1N1, which killed over 20 million people worldwide.  Public Health authorities generally believe that pandemic will occur again although it is not known exactly when or which strain of a novel virus will rise to the occasion. 

•     1918-19 ‘Spanish Flu’ (H1N1), is estimated to have sickened 20-40% of the world’s population, and over 20 million people died, 500,000 in the U.S., between September 1918 and April 1919.  It spread rapidly; many died within a few days of infection, others from secondary complications.  The attack rate and mortality was highest among adults 20-50 years old, although the reasons for this are uncertain.
•      1957-58 ‘Asian Flu’, (H2N2), the virus was quickly identified due to advances in technology and a vaccine was produced.  Infection rates were highest among school children, young adults and pregnant women.  The elderly had the highest rates of death.  A “second wave” developed in 1958.  There were about 70,000 deaths in the Untied States.
•    1968-69, ‘Hong Kong Flu’, (H3N2), caused 33,800 total deaths in the U.S.  This virus was first detected in Hong Kong in early 1968 and spread to the United States later that year.  Those over age 65 were most likely to die.  This virus returned in 1970 and 1972 and still circulates today.

If a virus would gain sustainable, efficient transmissibility, the public health strategy would focus on slowing the spread because it would be virtually impossible to stop it.  Slowing the spread of disease would allow for better allocation and more even use of limited resources by flattening the surge of cases.  Pandemic influenza would have rapid, global spreading among humans, with no predictable pattern or seasonal preference as with seasonal influenza.  It could come in waves with a total duration of a year or more and potentially cause millions of deaths. 



Do you have a personal plan in preparation for a pandemic event?
Visit the following sites for planning information:

• http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/individual/index.html
• http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/school/index.html
• http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/community/index.html

For questions or comments About NC State's Pandemic Flu Planning