Flu prevention at Mesa: Please share with students

Student Health Services usually provides 800 free flu vaccines to students in late September, October and November.  Flu shots help us with “herd immunity”.  Prevention of influenza at Mesa depends on flu vaccines, Purell hand sanitizer and the “cover your cough campaign”.

Today we received bad news.  This year, our flu shot supply is postponed due to a failure at a Canadian vaccine manufacturing plant.  Millions of flu vaccine are now postponed for shipment.  This means that 30% of our Influenza Infection Control plan is non-viable until mid to late October (or later).  We are concerned about this turn of events.

We are encouraging you to intensify your efforts toward promoting the remaining 70% of our Infection Control plan.  These strategies will be our only defense against the flu.  Here’s the plan:

1.      Purell containers:  Purell containers are mounted on the walls all over campus.  Check the dispenser nearest you.  When it’s empty refill it.  The stockroom has the refills and there is no cost to your department to get the refills.  We can send over an educator to help you learn to refill the Purell containers.

2.      Cover your cough and sneeze:  Student Health will provide “cover your cough” posters for your office/classroom.  We can send an educator to your office or classroom to teach you about infection control.

3.      Illness check:  Send students to Student Health Services upon the first signs of fever and a cough and/or sore throat.  We need to provide support to ill students and monitor the influenza on our campus.

4.      Keep your virus to yourself:  H1N1 is still circulating.  This means that we have to keep our germs to ourselves.  Stay healthy, get lots of sleep, stay home when ill, keep your kids home when they are sick.  When we talk about illness we are especially talking about a fever that is greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit AND a cough and/or sore throat.  For more information about the flu check here.

5.      Vaccination:  Check the listings for vaccination locations with the County of San Diego and your medical provider.  Here are a few flu shot locations:

a.       Kaiser “Super Saturday” means flu vaccines are available at Vandevere, San Marcos, Otay Mesa and La Mesa from 8am to 4pm on Saturday 9.27.14.  You’ll need your Kaiser card and photo identification.  Call 1-800-290-5000 for more information.

b.      The County of San Diego provides flu vaccines.  They have their vaccination locations posted on line here.

c.       Community agencies also provide free vaccinations.  Here are the flu vaccine locations provided by the Black Nurses Association.

Peace,

Suzanne Khambata FNP

Mesa Health Center Services Director