PVCC Puma Press

With the flu season fast approaching, fears of swine flu arrive with it; however, Maricopa County Community Colleges have been developing extensive procedures to cope with the new flu strain on campuses.

The district is preparing faculty and students to recognize and deal with the H1N1 flu. A memo sent to faculty on Sept.15 from Scottsdale Healthcare explains symptoms of H1N1 include pains, chills, moderate to severe fatigue, rapid onset of symptoms within 3-6 hours, headache and chest discomfort.

Scottsdale Healthcare lists these warning signs for adults: difficulty in breathing, pain/pressure in chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion, severe or persistent vomiting and diarrhea. The memo also warns that persons infected with H1N1 may be able to pass it on one day before symptoms develop and up to seven days after infection. If infected with H1N1, the Arizona Department of Health Services advises plenty of rest, drink fluids and check with a healthcare provider if antiviral medication is necessary.

The memo from Scottsdale Healthcare also says the high risk groups for H1N1 flu include children less than five years of age, persons 65-years-old or older, pregnant women, obese persons, lung and heart patients and those infected with HIV. The Arizona Department of Health has also reported that the median age for cases of H1N1 is 15.

To plan for the flu on each campus, the district has partnered with MEMS or Maricopa Emergency Management System in order to develop consistent procedures and information for each Maricopa campus. The emergency system has created a district-wide team and implemented MEMS teams for every campus. The district MEMS team obtains information on H1N1 and other emergency preparedness procedures and instructs each campus team to follow the same procedures so that information and procedures are consistent.

According to Julia Devous, PVCC’s director of development and community relations, the MEMS team gets its information from the Maricopa County Health Department and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The PVCC MEMS team is comprised of Jacalyn Askin, vice president of administrative services and head of the team; Devous; Scott Meek, director of college safety; Mary Lou Mosley, vice president of student affairs; Shirley Green, interim vice president of student affairs; and Bill Hart, interim associate dean of students.

The PVCC MEMS team has been meeting regularly with the district team to get info on H1N1 and other emergency procedures since spring.

At this point, the district is still uncertain about the severity of the flu on Maricopa campuses.

“Part of the uncertainty with the Swine Flu strain is created by difficulties in predicting the spread based on previous pandemic patterns…” says District Chancellor Rufus Glasper. “Therefore, we have to plan for the worst, even though it is just as possible that the severity will be minimal.”

The MEMS team has distributed a flyer to all colleges, which explains how to stop the spread of possible H1N1 carrying germs. The flyer advises students to cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing, clean hands often, avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth and stay home if sick. The CDC’s advice for institutions of higher education advise that those with flu-like symptoms should stay away from classes and limit interactions with other people.

Devous says the team will be putting up posters around campus to remind students to wash hands and maintain other hygienic practices to prevent H1N1.

Devous says, “At this point it’s business as usual.”

Currently, a vaccination for the H1N1 flu in Arizona is expected to arrive in late September, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. The Arizona Department of Health Services says that the first shipment will be available in late September with a second shipment arriving in October. However, vaccinations will first be administered to those in high risk groups.

Askin explains, “The choice to make the vaccine available on campus will not be ours to make, at least for the initial phase.”

On Oct. 23, in room KSC 212 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., the regular flu vaccine will be available on campus for employees and people in the community. To get the flu shot, people are required to sign up in the Fitness Center.

The CDC recommends that everyone six months or older can benefit from the vaccination and recommends that people 50 years or older, pregnant women, healthcare workers, people who live in assisted living facilities or people who have weakened immune systems should get the regular vaccination. Scottsdale Healthcare does warn that the regular flu shot will not protect against the H1N1 flu.

If students on campus do become infected with the H1N1 flu, teacher’s individual attendance policies will likely remain the same. Jim Simpson, faculty association president of Scottsdale Community College, explains that he has encouraged teachers to be flexible with their attendance policies. Simpson assures that Maricopa colleges will work with students to continue their coursework.

The procedures are “all designed to make every effort to help students complete their work,” Simpson says. Simpson also says that students are not required to prove they have H1N1.

Concerning the colleges’ preparedness, Glasper says, “All scenarios are being considered and planned for.”

For more information, students may visit www.maricopa.edu/mems or www.cdc.gov.