Health and Safety - Swine Flu

The Office of Global Education will continue to monitor information presented by the CDC and the World Health Organization, as well as travel advisories/warnings provided by the U.S. Department of State and other government organizations. We will update our students and program partners about our programs as it relates to the advice from the CDC and the U.S. Department of State.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is actively investigating isolated human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) in several states and is working closely with Canada and Mexico and with the World Health Organization. Additional cases are suspected in Canada, New Zealand, Scotland, Israel, France, Brazil, Switzerland, Sweden and Spain.


It is important to keep yourself informed about health issues and to follow the guidelines for staying healthy. Information has been provided below from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) websites.

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2009/h1n1_20090427/en/index.html

Prevention Advice

CDC – http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

What You Can Do to Stay Healthy
There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy.

  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
  • Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people. Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
  • If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

CDC - http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits.htm?s_cid=swineFlu_outbreak_internal_003

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
  • Stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
  • Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
  • Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
  • Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

WHO – http://www.euro.who.int/influenza/20080930_1

  • cover the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing;
  • use paper tissues to contain respiratory secretions and dispose of them in the nearest waste receptacle after use; and
  • wash hands after having contact with respiratory secretions and contaminated objects or materials.