What can I do to protect my health and prevent the spreading of viruses?

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand sanitizing stations are located at buildings around campus, residential and dining halls.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Remember to throw the tissue in the trash after you use it and wash your hands. If you donʻt have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth because germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people and try to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from people with symptoms of a flu-like illness. If close contact cannot be avoided, the sick person should where a surgical mask when he or she is around other people.
• Remain at home until at least 24 hours after you are free of fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.8 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. This is to keep from infecting others and spreading the virus further.
• Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
• Frequently clean commonly-touched surfaces such as computer keyboards and mice, doorknobs, desks, chairs, counter surfaces, telephones, and remote controls with the proper cleaning solution.
• Talk to the University Health Services or your health care provider about getting vaccinated.
• Stay healthy by eating nutritous meals, getting lots of rest, drinking fluids, and staying active by exercising.

What are the emergency warning signs?

In children:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Fever with a rash

In adults:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting

I am experiencing flu-like symptoms, what now?

If you are sick with flu-like symptoms, stay home and avoid contact with other people except to get medical care. Notify your faculty that you are experiencing flu-like symptoms and ask if you can make-up your assignments. Remain at home until at least 24 hours after you are free of fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.8 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.

If you get sick at school, you should go home as soon as possible. If you are unable to go home immediately, you should separate yourself from others.

Get Vaccinated for the Seasonal Flu

The University Health Services is offering SEASONAL flu vaccines to UH students, faculty and staff and they are also available from personal physicians. Click here to learn more or go to: http://www.hawaii.edu/shs/.

Note: This is for the SEASONAL flu shot only, NOT H1N1 (swine flu). Please call 956-6221 for more details.