St. Mary's University | San Antonio, Texas

President's Message

St. Mary's H1N1 (Swine) Flu Preparedness

Current Plan of Action

Preventing the Spread of H1N1 (Swine) Flu
We are asking faculty, staff and students to assist in our efforts to minimize exposure and reduce the potential for spreading the H1N1 (Swine) Flu at St. Mary's University. Some of these precautions include practicing safe habits related to hygiene and staying away from large crowds if you are feeling ill with flu-like symptoms. The University will be vigilant with cleaning and sanitizing critical areas on campus. The following tips are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and can be found online at www.cdc.gov/swineflu or for more information call 1-800-CDC-INFO.

What can you do to protect yourself from getting sick?
If possible, get vaccinated against Seasonal Flu. While the Seasonal Flu vaccine does not protect you from Swine Flu, being vaccinated can help you to avoid potentially contracting two strains of flu (Seasonal and Swine), leading to increased absenteeism and limited activity.

Currently a vaccine to protect against Swine Flu is being tested and is not yet available; however, in the meantime you can take these everyday actions to protect your health and to help prevent the spread of germs that cause illnesses like flu:

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 hand cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try not to touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people and maintain a distance of at least six feet (as recommended by the CDC).
If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay/go home and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

What is the best technique for washing your hands to avoid getting the flu?
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash your hands with soap and warm water for 15 to 20 seconds or you can use alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers found in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in the gel kills the germs on your hands.

Be Wise. Sanitize.
Stay informed about the H1N1 (Swine) Flu virus and St. Mary's plans to minimize its spread. Go to www.stmarytx.edu or Gateway and click on Flu Advisory.

Symptoms and what to do if you get sick (or know someone who is)

Should you exhibit the following combination of symptoms, you are advised to stay at home:

A temperature above 100 degrees associated with a cough, and/or
A temperature above 100 degrees associated with a sore throat

Undergraduate & Graduate School Students:

All St. Mary's students, staff and faculty are being asked to do what they can to avoid spreading the H1N1 virus on campus. If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms you should follow the CDC's recommended measures. The CDC measures are outlined on the university's H1N1 Advisory web site. Students suffering from flu like symptoms should not be attending classes and should report their illness on the "self-reporting" tool available on Gateway under the Student tab. There is a process by which the Student Health Center will make sure that I am advised of your situation. If possible, also send me an email or have a friend/family member get in touch with me to let me know about your situation. All efforts will be made to help you remain current with this class. If you miss classes due to suffering from flu-like symptoms (confirmed by the Student Health Center or a physician) those absences shall be considered excused absences. However, it is your responsibility to make up any work that you miss. In the event that the University must close, you will be contacted regarding the procedures for continuing this course. Note that a sustained University closure may result in the need to extend the school semester to make up for lost class days.

Law School Students:

All St. Mary's students, staff and faculty are being asked to do what they can to avoid spreading the H1N1 virus on campus. If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms you should follow the CDC's recommended measures. The CDC measures are outlined on the university's H1N1 Advisory web site. Students suffering from flu like symptoms should not be attending classes and should report their illness on the "self-reporting" tool available on Gateway under the Student tab. There is a process by which the Student Health Center will make sure that I am advised of your situation. If possible, also send me an email or have a friend/family member get in touch with me to let me know about your situation. All efforts will be made to help you remain current with this class. If you miss classes due to suffering from flu-like symptoms (confirmed by the Student Health Center or a physician) those absences shall still count for purposes of the Law School's mandatory attendance requirement which requires that you miss not more than one third of your classes (Law Student Handbook, section IV.4.3) and for purposes of the 1/5th rule (Law Student Handbook, section IV.4.3). Such absences shall not count as absences for purposes of the discretionary 3/5 rule (Law Student Handbook, section IV.4.1). In the event that the University must close, you will be contacted regarding the procedures for continuing this course. Note that a sustained University closure may result in the need to extend the school semester to make up for lost class days.

St. Mary's faculty and staff:

Please keep in mind that the Student Health Center is here to provide services to students. Employees, even those enrolled in classes, should see their primary care physicians. Even then, health officials recommend that those seeking medical attention from their primary care physician should be limited to individuals in the high-risk category, and that healthy persons should self-treat and self-isolate by staying at home or in their room during their period of illness. In addition, faculty and staff should report their illness to their immediate supervisors.

Faculty and staff are also advised not bring sick children to campus.

If you have questions about your leave time, contact the Office of Human Resources at (210) 436-3725.

The University's Housekeeping staff is also available to sanitize offices and areas occupied by persons that have become ill. Please continue to take all precautions and preventions for avoiding the flu, such as using hand sanitizer and covering your mouth when coughing and nose when sneezing.