The H1N1 Flu virus has spread throughout the world according to the World Health Organization. Iona College seeks to reduce the likelihood of transmission and illness through education of faculty, staff and students and by providing up-to-date information to help the Iona community address any challenges presented by the emergence of the H1N1 virus.

Iona continues to monitor the situation and this web site will be updated to provide current information to faculty, staff, and students.

Status: All Iona College operations and events continue as scheduled.

For the Iona Community

Stay home if you are sick. The Center for Disease Control recommends that if you have symptoms of influenza-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Stay away from others as much as possible to avoid making others sick.

• What you can do now
• What to do if you get flu-like symptoms
• Taking care of a sick person in your home
• Novel H1N1 Flu: Global Situation for current information
• CDC Guidance for Responses to Influenza for Institutions of Higher Education during the 2009-2010 Academic Year

For the Iona Students

Any student with a temperature greater than 100.0° and cough or sore throat should call the Student Health Services at 914-633-2548 and make an appointment for evaluation. It is critical for limitation of disease spread that students with flu-like symptoms NOT attend classes, labs, or social/athletic events. The CDC currently recommends that any patient with a flu-like illness remain at home until 24 hours have passed without fever.

Vaccination update: The Student Health Services will be offering the seasonal (regular) flu vaccine as soon as it is delivered, hopefully as early as the first week of October. A mass email regarding vaccination will be sent to students once we have received the vaccine shipment. We are hopeful that we'll also obtain supplies of H1N1 vaccine when it is available by late October, and will update students as we learn more.

For Iona Faculty & Staff

Employees who have had close contact with an H1N1 flu patient at home can go to work as usual. Close contacts who have an underlying medical condition, or who are pregnant, should contact their primary care provider to discuss antiviral drugs to prevent illness. After being exposed to H1N1, monitor your health every day for a week. If you do develop a fever and respiratory symptoms, stay home and notify your supervisor.

Vaccination update: Iona's Faculty and Staff flu vaccine campaign starts October and will continue through the spring. H1N1 vaccine, if available, will mostly likely start in November. While the CDC anticipates that people will be able to take both vaccines at the same time, early vaccination with seasonal flu vaccine is encouraged.

Additional Resources for H1N1 (Swine) Flu

• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) H1N1 Flu
  • Novel H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) and You
  • Risk of H1N1 Flu Associated with Travel to Affected Areas
  • H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu): General Information
  • H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) Resources for Child Care Programs, Schools, Colleges, and Universities
• Pandemic.gov H1N1 Flu Information
• NYS Health Department
• Westchester County Department of Health
• World Health Organization Pandemic H1N1