PREVENTION
If you feel sick, you may need to limit your contact with others as with any other form of flu. Avoid spreading germs by not touching your eyes, nose and mouth and covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throwing the tissue away.
The best way to prevent the spread of any contagious disease is hand washing, especially after coughing or sneezing. Antibacterial waterless gels can be used if your skin is easily irritated or soap and water aren't readily available.
Hand washing technique
Scrub your hands for 15 to 30 seconds with regular soap and water (it doesn't have to be antibacterial soap to work) before rinsing. Studies show it is the length of time spent washing, not the type of soap that makes the difference.
Contact information
Campus Health Clinic – 361-593-2904, Texas Department of State Health Services – 1-888-963-7111, Web links – http://www.dshs.state.tx.us http://www.cdc.gov, http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/guidance/
If you feel sick, you may need to limit your contact with others as with any other form of flu. Avoid spreading germs by not touching your eyes, nose and mouth and covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throwing the tissue away.
The best way to prevent the spread of any contagious disease is hand washing, especially after coughing or sneezing. Antibacterial waterless gels can be used if your skin is easily irritated or soap and water aren't readily available.
Hand washing technique
Scrub your hands for 15 to 30 seconds with regular soap and water (it doesn't have to be antibacterial soap to work) before rinsing. Studies show it is the length of time spent washing, not the type of soap that makes the difference.
Contact information
Campus Health Clinic – 361-593-2904, Texas Department of State Health Services – 1-888-963-7111, Web links – http://www.dshs.state.tx.us http://www.cdc.gov, http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/guidance/
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 Junior social work major and game room employee Lori Garza takes precaution by using hand sanitizer after reports of the recent outbreaks of Swine Flu. |
The swine flu epidemic that has cancelled classes in many public schools in South Texas and brought Mexico almost to a standstill has so far not had a significant impact on Texas A&M University- Kingsville, Dr. Terisa Remlius said, Texas A&M University-Kingsville vice president for student affairs.
Remilus reported that no one on the Kingsville main campus had been diagnosed with suspected swine flu symptoms as of Monday, May 4, and that no activities had been cancelled.
Graduation is set for May 16 at the Steinke Physical Education Center. Finals start Saturday, May 9, and will go on as scheduled.
Remilus said that no courses have been cancelled for this semester or next summer either on campus or abroad and that no changes on finals or graduation had been planned. However, a meeting was schedules late Monday to evaluate the situation again, she said.
According to Julie Navejar, TAMUK director of public relations, a class for a System Center San Antonio student in Queretaro, Mexico, set for this summer has been cancelled. The class in Cuernavaca, Mexico, for some TAMUK student is still on schedule, she said.
TAMUK students generally take summer language immersion classes in Mexico or Europe.
“We have not cancelled any abroad summer classes, and there is not a chance for us to do this. No cases of N1H1 have been reported in campus or Kleberg County to my knowledge, ” Remelius said.
Remelius stressed that “At this point, (TAMUK officials) are not restricting any activities, but we have plans in place for notification if that decision is made. We are encouraging students, faculty, and staff not to travel (to Mexico) unless it is absolutely necessary. In particular, we hope faculty, staff, and students will avoid travel to Mexico where medical treatment and insurance use are sometimes limited.”
The university has been issuing “alerts” every weekday at 11 a.m. and the university has taken no real action other than encouraging clean habits like washing hands frequently and covering one’s mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing. The university has recently received 180 units of hand sanitizer and is expecting additional shipments on Wednesday.
“Although no one on the Kingsville main campus has been diagnosed with flu symptoms at our health clinic, the university’s Emergency Management Team will continue to meet daily to assess any new information that arises,” Remelius said.
“In the meantime, we urge students to continue to observe good hygiene practices and to watch for the alerts at 11 each morning.”
The TAMUK Emergency Team has more than10 members between faculty, staff and administrators and meets daily to receive updates. A meeting was scheduled for late Monday afternoon as The South Texan was going to press.
Remelius said that thus far, the Kingsville community has remained free of the N1HI influenza, or, swine flu.
The university’s Monday alert at 11 a.m. said, “there have been no suspected cases at the Life Services and Wellness Center (on the TAMUK campus) and at Christus Spohn (Hospital) in Kingsville.”
As a precaution, however, members of the Kleberg County Sherriff’s Department and the local Border Patrol offices have been wearing surgical masks to avoid the transmission of viruses such as the N1H1 swine flu virus.
Several students on the TAMUK main campus were reported to be wearing surgical masks as well. No reports from the TAMUK Citrus Center in Weslaco and the System Center in San Antonio were available at press time.
Since last week, The Center for Diseases Control and Prevention in Atlanta has declared a public health crisis after recent cases of N1H1 were reported in nearly 30 states.
In Corpus Christi, for example, the CDC ordered closure of two high schools, one elementary school and one junior high or middle school after “potential” cases of swine flu were identified. Both the Corpus Christi Independent School District and West Oso School districts were impacted by the potential cases of H1N1.
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi also reportedly had 10 suspected cases of the N1H1 virus as of Friday, May 1.
Remlius said that the university remains ready to act should the situation change on the TAMUK main campus or at any of the university’s facilities.
“First the university is taking this situation seriously, and we want to take necessary precautions to try to prevent the spread of the HINI,” she said. “We will continue to send updates via TAMUK email to faculty, staff and students at approximate every day in order to provide information and guidance.”
Remelius cautioned about false information been sent or received by students.
“We have received word that students are receiving a text message from a telephone number saying that two students on campus have the swine flu. This information is false. Official university text messages will come only from 361-593-5990,” Remelius said.
Remelius said the university is working closely with Kleberg County and City of Kingsville officials.
“Each day we send representatives to a county meeting which includes law enforcement, health department, management team, and the pharmacy college,” Remelius, said.
According to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention stated the number of confirmed cases of 1HN1, continues to rise in the several states, there are approximately 94 suspected cases in the Coastal Bend area.
“We are encouraging people to recognize symptoms of the flu and get treatment immediately if experiencing any symptoms,” Remelius added.