Official Notification – Updated October 26, 2009
At the moment, most influenza virus strains circulating are the A(H1N1) virus (commonly known as swine flu). It continues to present as a relatively mild illness in most infected persons, no more virulent than the standard “seasonal” influenza viruses.
In accordance with CDC and Philadelphia Department of Health guidelines for H1N1 flu vaccination, the College of Medicine is offering the H1N1 flu vaccine October 26-October 29 only to specific DUCOM employee and student groups (listed below). The specific times and location have been sent out to employee and student emails.
The vaccine is the inactivated injectable H1N1 vaccine (not the intranasal vaccine). There is no cost for the vaccination. However, we must observe the eligibility guidelines. If you come to one of the sessions, please bring your Drexel ID and be prepared to fill out a screening form.
The following College of Medicine employees and students are eligible to receive the vaccine:
- Healthcare workers, including medical students, clinical faculty and staff who routinely work in patient settings
- Persons under 25 years old
- Household contacts or caregivers of child less than 6 months old
- Pregnant women
- Those aged 25 to 64 years who have one of the following high-risk conditions:
- Lung disease (including asthma)
- Liver or kidney disease
- Cardiovascular disease
- Metabolic disease (including diabetes)
- Immune suppressed (including HIV)
- Neurological disease
Seasonal influenza vaccine [Revised]: The College of Medicine does not have seasonal flu vaccine. If you are able to obtain a seasonal influenza vaccination from your primary medical provider, we encourage you to do so, as it appears that demand is exceeding supply this year.
We strongly urge eligible individuals to receive both the H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccines, but are not mandating this. This is in your best interest, as well as the interests of your colleagues and, most importantly, our patients.
WORKPLACE GUIDELINES FOR EMPLOYEES
If you develop symptoms of influenza, which usually presents as a respiratory illness consisting of the recent onset of the following: runny rose or nasal congestion, sore throat, cough (with fever), you should:
- Avoid contact with others.
- If you are not at work, call in sick to your supervisor, as per the University’s Attendance and Sick Leave policies.
- If you develop symptoms while at work, notify your supervisor immediately and ask to be released from your duties.
- FACULTY AND STAFF WITH DIRECT PATIENT CONTACT, OR CONTACT WITH OTHER FACULTY OR STAFF WITH DIRECT PATIENT CONTACT: Remain at home until you have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication, whichever is longer, unless you are assigned in areas where severely immunocompromised patients are provided care. In this case, you should be considered for temporary reassignment or exclusion from work for 7 days from symptom onset or until the resolution of symptoms, whichever is longer. Please discuss with your supervisor or department chair.
- ALL OTHER FACULTY AND STAFF: Return to work no sooner than 24 hours after fever subsides without the use of fever-reducing medication.
- If ill persons go into the community or are within 6 feet of others at home, they should wear a face mask (if tolerable) or otherwise cover their coughs.
- Practice preventive measures: Patients, healthcare workers, and household members should wash their hands frequently with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. Cover the nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing, and cough into your elbow. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
- If an immediate family member develops symptoms of influenza and you are obligated to care for them, notify your supervisor in accordance with the University's or your department’s attendance policy.
- If you have symptoms of influenza, or are caring for a family member with these symptoms, the University will NOT require you to obtain and present a doctor’s note for absences nor to produce a doctor’s clearance to return to work.
- If you have symptoms of influenza, or are caring for a family member with these symptoms, related absences will not be counted towards any available FMLA time.
- Drexel University has generous leave policies, with most benefits-eligible employees receiving 12 sick days, 2 floating holidays, and at least 10 days of vacation per year. Even so, we recognize that in a health crisis, you may not have enough leave accrued to remain at home to attend to your own illness or that of a family member. In these situations, we ask you to contact Human Resources (Chris Kowalski, 215-762-3357 or ck55@drexel.edu) to make arrangements to support your needs for time off.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS:
DUP questions: Vanessa Stepney, 215-255-7353 or vstepney@drexelmed.edu
HR questions: Chris Kowalski, 215-762-3357 or ck55@drexel.edu
More information on H1N1: www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu.
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