URI's Director of Health Services Chad Henderson and Dave Lavallee from URI Communications and Marketing take your questions about H1N1 (swine) flu, and what you can do to help. Feel free to ask about prevention, transmission, treatment, best practices, or even more procedural questions, such as when to return to work after illness. Depending on the number of questions in the queue at any time, it may take a few moments to reply. Thanks for your patience! Your web page should automatically refresh periodically to display new questions and answers. If you are not seeing new questions and answers, you can simply reload this web page, or click on the "Show New Messages" button to show more questions and answers.
Jake (URI): What are the symptoms of the swine flu?
Chad Henderson: The primary symptoms would be fever or chills *and* a cough or sore throat, although any one of those could be missing. But primarily a fever with cough or sore throat.
Newport, Bill Stark: What do your offices see the real threat to be in terms of the Mexican flu this coming semester
Chad Henderson: You may be referring to the current H1N1 (sometimes called swine) flu, which had its initial outbreak in Mexico early last spring. The real threat of H1N1 flu is the number of people who may be simultaneously affected, which could have an impact on the conduct of any business or educational efforts, across the country. We want to be able to continue providing the curriculum to our students.
Chad Henderson: In June, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic due to the widespread outbreak, not the severity of H1N1.
David (Wakefield): What's the policy gonna be on big events like games and concerts? Are you gonna close them down?
Chad Henderson: No. Current guidance from the CDC to colleges and universities recommends continuation of events. However, those with flu-like symptoms are asked not to attend. So, you may see signs in advertisements or at events asking people with symptoms not to attend.
Ken, Coventry: Are there any vaccines that are in the works for the H1N1 flu? If so, when are they going to be introduced to the public?
Chad Henderson: The federal government has funded $2 billion for the development and production of H1N1 vaccines. They are currently in clinical trials, and expected to be released for use in early October. The vaccination will consist of two shots, 21 days apart, and commence with the highest priority group once vaccine is received.
Newport, Bill Stark: Thank you. Has a widespread outbreak of this magnitude occured at URI before?
Dave Lavallee: When I was a student at URI in 1978, we had a significant flu outbreak. We don't have specific data from that period, but I do remember many of my fellow students, including me, getting very sick. We finished the year up just fine, though. :-)
Newport, Bill Stark: Historically, how many people at URI suffer from the flu? Do you have statistics?
Chad Henderson: As a sentinel reporting site for CDC and RI Department of Health, we report number of patients seen with flu-like illness on a weekly basis, against total number of patients seen. The peak for last year, if I recall the numbers, was for the week ending Feb. 28, where we saw a total of 777 students with 28 displaying flu-like symptoms.
Newport, Bill Stark: Thanks Dave. I am glad you all made out alright. Was there any indication at that time that the flu was pandemic or would become pandemic?
Dave Lavallee: I'm pretty sure it wasn't a pandemic, but I was too sick to pay attention back then. :-)
Mimi ( Wickford): What is best way to treat a child with the H1N1?
Chad Henderson: Monitor their temperatures, and make sure they have plenty of fluids. When the vaccine is available, make sure they get it. Otherwise, you treat it like any other flu.
Mary: If I get the swine flu, can I still get the regular flu, too?
Chad Henderson: You could get both. The strains of flu are different, and H1N1 is a "novel" virus, which means we've never seen it before, so you likely don't have immunity to it, and it's not in the seasonal flu vaccine.
Fred - North Kingstown: If someone had the Swine Flu last year, can they get it again?
Chad Henderson: If you had a confirmed case of H1N1 last spring, and you contract flu this fall, it will be difficult to determine if it is H1N1 or seasonal flu, given that routine testing won't be done this year. There's a theoretical possibility that the virus could have mutated between the spring and now, meaning that you could get H1N1 again.
Charlotte: When the vaccine is made available to URI, will it be offered during evening hours at all? Or too soon to know?
Chad Henderson: The seasonal flu vaccine, which is available in September, will be administered primarily during the day, and we hope at dining hall entrances on several evenings. Please monitor URI Health Services' web site for dates and times of clinics. For staff, vaccine clinics are currently only planned for daytime hours.
Chad Henderson: We don't have a schedule for H1N1 vaccinations yet, because we don't yet know when the vaccine will arrive.
Newport, Bill Stark: What are a student's chances of getting H1N1?
Chad Henderson: Good question, Bill. The predictions for the population as a whole indicate 30-50% may well contract the H1N1 virus this fall/winter. Given the closeness of residence hall living and classroom environments, the college environment may be more likely to be at the high end of the estimated range.
Bob: I'm coming in as a freshman. Are you going to force me to take the vaccine?
Chad Henderson: No. Flu vaccinations are not mandatory. It is your choice. However, we strongly recommend that you get the seasonal flu vaccine when you arrive on campus, and take advantage of the H1N1 vaccine when they are available.
Newport, Bill Stark: who is responsible for the production of the new vaccine? and is it true that the person who heads the team of people creating the vaccine has stated emphatically that he won't take the vaccine?
Chad Henderson: I understand that the federal government has established contracts with five vaccine-producing companies. I have heard nothing of any one of the developers refusing to take the vaccine.
Mary: Who are considered "High Risk"?
Chad Henderson: Good question, Mary. Based upon plans for vaccine distribution, those at highest risk include people who are pregnant, caregivers of children 6 months or younger, people 6 months to 24 years old, health care providers and first responders, and people between 24 and 60 with underlying health issues.
Bob: Is the vaccine going to be free?
Chad Henderson: It's my understanding that the H1N1 vaccine will be available at no cost to anyone, based upon their priority grouping (age and underlying health concerns).
Marjorie (Cranston): Should I stay home from work if my kids are sick with the flu?
Chad Henderson: It depends on the ages of the children. If you can safely leave them alone, or with a trusted caregiver, and you do not have any symptoms, you can go to work. As soon as you notice any symptoms, you should go home (or stay home).
Carol: At what point should one seek emergency medical care if they think they have this flu?
Chad Henderson: If you have an underlying health condition or are pregnant, you should consult with your health care provider if you exhibit symptoms. If you normally do not have any underlying conditions and you have severe difficulty breathing, rapid accelerated heart rate, or become disoriented, you should seek medical care. Otherwise, it's best to remain at home, forcing fluids and getting plenty of rest.
Dave Lavallee: It's 7pm, and we're ready to wrap up. Thanks so much for your questions and participation. Visit http://www.uri.edu/news/h1n1.html for regular updates on the flu at URI.