To assist with the control of H1N1 Influenza Type A (Swine Flu) on the campus, it is extremely important that the Student Health Center be able to monitor the prevalence of flu within our campus population. As a contagious disease, knowing where incidences of flu are occurring on campus is an important tool in managing the outbreak and allows for targeted outreach.
We want to remind principal officers that the campus has instituted a web-based Influenza Incident Reporting tool. Reporting is voluntary, but important because of the public health implications. The information, compiled weekly, is shared with public health officials in Santa Cruz County and emergency preparedness staff in UC's Office of the President.
Please encourage your managers or supervisors to report weekly the number of known or suspected influenza-like illness incidents for staff and academic employees in their units. Supervisors are asked to report ALL incidents of influenza-like illness - not just confirmed incidents of H1N1. Reports should be made by close of business on Thursday of each week at:
Influenza-like symptoms include fever and chills AND a cough or sore throat.
For academic employees, academic department managers were previously asked to coordinate the reporting of incidents by requesting that academic employees inform the department office if they are ill with flu-like symptoms.
For more information regarding the H1N1 virus and recommendations for flu prevention and preparedness, please visit the UCSC web site H1N1 Flu: Helping you Stay Informed and Healthy.
