H1N1 Frequently Asked Questions
Refer to the fact sheet on H1N1
You may not know whether you have H1N1 or simply the seasonal flu since the symptoms may be similar. Flu-like symptoms include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius), body aches, runny nose, sore throat, and vomiting or diarrhea.
- Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners also are effective.
- Practice respiratory etiquette by covering 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. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth; germs are spread this way.
- Disinfect common work surfaces such as desktops; keyboards; phone and door handles on a regular basis to reduce the spread of the virus. Influenza viruses can survive on environmental surfaces for up to 8 hours!
- Stay home if you have flu or flu-like illness 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).
Infected persons may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to 7 or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.
Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person up to 2-8 hours after being deposited on the surface.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) anticipates that this will be a particularly severe flu season. The seasonal flu vaccine is the best tool to combat the influenza virus. A strong immune system may result in less flu like illnesses or a quicker recovery from flu like illnesses.
Yes, the Office of Human Resources will be sponsoring a seasonal flu shot clinic to be held on October 5th for faculty and staff and employees must register in advance. This is not the H1N1 vaccine. We understand that when the H1N1 vaccine is available it will be administered primarily through physicians’ offices.
- Full-time university staff employees will use their accrued sick-time for periods of absence due to the flu. University staff members not having enough accrued sick time to cover the period of incapacitation due to the flu will be allowed to carry a negative balance of up to 5 days in their leave accrual.
- Part-time employees will be able to use any accrued personal time during periods of incapacitation due to the flu.
- Faculty and professional staff members will receive their normal pay for periods of absence due to the flu. Professional staff will record their sick time on the monthly Leave Accrual/Use Form.
Yes, a physician’s certificate is normally required for employees returning to work after a period of incapacitation of more than 3 working days. We anticipate, however, that many physicians may not want to see patients suffering from the flu, except in those cases where symptoms are severe, and obtaining a note may be difficult. In such cases, this requirement may be waived.
Whenever employees are unable to report to work as normally scheduled, they are required to notify their supervisor of their absence within half-an-hour of their normally scheduled start time. Employees are expected to contact their supervisor on a daily basis and apprise the supervisor of the reason for absence and when they expect to return.
In order to protect the well being of both sick employees and their peers, we have asked supervisors and managers to be vigilant in their efforts to identify employees exhibiting common symptoms of the flu. If you have the chills, feel warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating, your supervisor may ask you to leave work. If you are asked to leave work, you may return 24 hours after these symptoms have subsided. You will be paid for the hours missed as stipulated in #6 above.
If you believe that a co-worker is exhibiting flu-like symptoms (chills, feels warm, has a flushed appearance, or is sweating), please bring this to the attention of your supervisor or manager. Your supervisor or manager has been instructed as to how to handle this situation. If you remain concerned, please bring the matter to the attention of the Office of Human Resources.
If you have a family member or a member of your household who is sick with the flu and requires your care, you may take time from work to provide this care as stipulated under the university’s sick policies. At no time however should you bring an ill family or household member into the workplace to provide such care. Such time will be compensated as stipulated in #6 above.
In order to protect the wellbeing of your child and the SNHU community, do not bring sick children or children who may have been exposed to the flu to work with you. Our workplace is not an acceptable alternative for child care or school.
In certain circumstances it may be possible for employees to perform their normal job duties remotely from home. The circumstances under which such an arrangement will be approved are at the discretion of the supervisor in consultation with the Office of Human Resources. However, in cases where the employees are home due to their own illnesses, such arrangements would not be encouraged.
As the student to return to his/her residence hall and call health services at 645-9616 for assessment.
Let the student know the H1N1 flu can only be diagnosed by having a test at a medical facility and have him/her call 645-9679 or visit the Wellness Center.
Let you child know the H1N1 flu can only be diagnosed by having a test at a medical facility and have him/her call 645-9679 or visit the Wellness Center.