Illness Rumors

There have been rumors that RRH has confirmed cases of H1N1, “Swine Flu.” This is not the case. We received a phone call from the clinic indicating that one of our students tested positive for Influenza Type A. That does not necessarily mean H1N1, but we are going to treat it as such. The student with the diagnosis has been given anti-viral medication and is isolated from the other students until symptoms abate. I am confident that the student will recover fully in short order.

Basically, symptoms and treatment of H1N1 are the same as the seasonal flu. Like other types of flu, it is spread through mist when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and is contagious as long as symptoms are present. As such, we are treating this case very seriously so as to best protect all other students in our program. Experts tell me that the best thing we can do is to encourage lots of hand washing, hand sanitizer, and Lysol doorknobs and other frequently touched surfaces, which the staff do throughout the day. Students also have access to Lysol spray for personal items (such as cell phones that they lend to friends). Each student has been given a personal bottle of hand sanitizer and refills are available in the staff office.

Students and staff have been explicitly educated on how to protect themselves and others from the spread of the flu, and have been given all necessary tools to do so. All students and staff are being very proactive in their efforts to prevent the spread of any illness in the dormitory. Experts that we have contacted have assured us that we are going above and beyond in our efforts to prevent the spread of H1N1 or seasonal flu. As such, I am certain that the majority of our students will make it through this especially robust flu season with little effect.

We are being told that if we catch it in the first 48 hours, an anti-viral prescription can work wonders in knocking this thing out much faster. As such, all students and staff have been educated on the symptoms to report.

We all need to be educated and proactive to get through this especially rough cold and flu season. We will provide updated information on our website as it becomes available. Take care of yourself. Wash hands often, get plenty of rest, eat a healthy diet, etc.

We appreciate your support as we work to ensure that our students are healthy and able to focus on their education. This is a good time to ensure that RRH has current insurance and contact information for your student. Contact Diane in the main office at (435) 896-6121 to see if your information is accurate.