The following message was sent to the Tufts community Friday, May 22, 2009.
To Members of the Tufts Community:
Today we learned from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health that a flu sample submitted on Tuesday, May 19, by Tufts' Medford/Somerville Health Service tested positive for H1N1 influenza, or swine flu. This is the first such case confirmed within the Tufts community. We are glad to say that the affected individual, who graduated from Tufts on May 17, is recovering well at home in Somerville. To date, most H1N1 flu cases in the United States have been relatively mild. Symptoms have been very similar to those caused by the seasonal flu that we encounter every year.
Local, state and federal public health experts agree that the best way to contain the spread of H1N1 flu is to practice appropriate hygiene measures. This includes staying at home if one is experiencing flu-like symptoms, particularly fever; washing hands frequently and covering coughs and sneezes. We urge students, faculty and staff on all of our campuses to follow these measures.
Influenza is defined as fever of greater than 100 degrees, and cough. Many people also have body aches, headache and sore throat. Cold symptoms such as cough and runny nose, without fever, are not signs of influenza. Anyone with a fever of 100 or greater should stay home and away from other people. Those with fever should not go to work, to class, to church, to social events, or anywhere else where they might be in contact with others. Individuals with flu-like symptoms should contact their physician for advice or evaluation.
We know you share our desire to maintain the overall health of the community. Human Resources asks supervisors and managers to encourage staff members who exhibit the symptoms of flu to seek medical attention and to stay home when medically appropriate. We also hope that faculty, directors of academic programs, and deans will work with any students who should not be exposing others to illness and may therefore be unable to attend class or meet assigned deadlines.
The CDC is not recommending that colleges and universities cancel classes or large gatherings, nor is the World Health Organization recommending travel restrictions to the U.S. All activities are continuing as planned on all three of our campuses. We have been working closely with our cleaning contractor since April to ensure that our practices are as effective as possible in combating the spread of the virus.
More information on the H1N1 flu and Tufts' pandemic planning is available at http://emergency.tufts.edu/flu, and we will post updates there as appropriate. We are continuing to monitor the situation and to be in regular contact with local public health departments and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. We will keep the campus community informed of any relevant developments and appreciate your help in keeping the Tufts community healthy.
Sincerely,
John M. King
Senior Director of Public Safety
Chair, University-Wide Task Force on Pandemic Planning
Margaret Higham, M.D.
Medical Director, Health Services, Medford/Somerville Campus
Member, University-Wide Task Force on Pandemic Planning
Joseph P. McManus
Executive Associate Dean, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
Member, University-Wide Task Force on Pandemic Planning
