In order to keep track of suspected and/or confirmed cases of the H1N1 influenza virus at Indiana University Northwest, students, faculty and staff are encouraged to voluntarily self-report any cases of H1N1. This can be done through an online survey located at http://tinyurl.com/iunh1n1 or by sending an email to the address H1N1rept@iun.edu.
In accordance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, all information submitted to this address will be kept private and confidential, and will be used only for purposes of recording and evaluating the status of H1N1 cases on the IU Northwest campus. Respondents need not provide their names or other personal information. Participation is strictly voluntary.
Anyone who misses class due to H1N1-like symptoms, or anyone who is diagnosed with the virus, is encouraged to self-report their status to the university. Faculty members who note higher class absenteeism than usual are asked to report these instances via the online survey. Students who note an unusual number of class cancellations are also asked to report this via the survey.
The symptoms of H1N1 include: a fever greater than 100 degrees; a sore throat, headache, or cough; body aches and fatigue; and nausea or gastrointestinal distress. This does not apply to symptoms that are related to a known cause, such as headaches associated with migraines or coughing associated with asthma.
As flu season progresses, it is the goal of IU Northwest to monitor the presence and impact of H1N1 influenza on the campus. Voluntary self-reporting of suspected or confirmed cases by students, faculty and staff will assist with this effort, as will timely and accurate completion of the online survey.
All campus community members are also reminded to continue taking commonsense precautions against the spread of the H1N1 or seasonal flu viruses. These include: washing and sanitizing hands frequently; covering the mouth when sneezing or coughing; and remaining home when flu-like symptoms are present.
For more information on H1N1 precautions at Indiana University, visit the Web at http://www.indianauniversity.info/h1n1.shtml