November 2nd, 2009

Dear Parent,

Concordia University, like many other universities in Canada and the U.S., has community members who have been ill with influenza or will become ill during the flu season. In order to reduce the impact of this illness on the student residents, a number of measures have already been instituted and others have been planned.

In order to reduce the risk of transmission of (A)H1N1, hand sanitizers have been installed at the entrance of each building and additional units will be provided as needed. A hand-washing campaign has been introduced and reinforced with the student residents. The Residence Life staff have familiarized themselves with the guidelines provided by the Government of Quebec and have posted information in numerous places throughout the residence buildings. Resident students have access to information to assist them in deciding whether or not they potentially have (A)H1N1, how to protect themselves, how to care for themselves if they do have the flu and where/when they can go to get a vaccination. Furthermore, we are providing them with specific information on what documentation (i.e. provincial health insurance card or Sunlife insurance) will be required when presenting for the vaccine.

The Dean of Students, Elizabeth Morey, has sent a letter to each student with the following guidance:

If you are ill with flu-like symptoms, you need to stay home and rest in isolation for a minimum of 24 hours after the fever is gone. If your illness prevents you from fulfilling your academic requirements, i.e. missing assignment deadlines and/or exams, you must inform your professors by email that you are absent with the flu. Please note that your email constitutes a formal notification of illness on your part, and that false statements will be considered an offence under the Academic Code of Conduct.

We are keeping track of any potential resident students who may be ill with (A)H1N1 so that we can provide as many comfort measures as possible. As parents, we would encourage you to play a role in ensuring that your child has some of the basic supplies, such as an electronic thermometer to monitor temperature, medications to reduce fever such as acetaminophen or ibuprophen (not acetyl salicylic acid or ASPIRIN), and any other comfort items that you know may be useful. We will be purchasing a few extra thermometers in the event that the resident student requires one but it would be appreciated if you encourage your child to purchase one before he/she becomes ill or you could send one as part of a "Care" package.

Students who are ill are requested to self isolate. We check in with them to ensure that they are hydrating themselves and to ensure that their symptoms are not worsening. For those students living in buildings with communal bathrooms, they are being provided with masks so that we can diminish the risk of transmission. Masks are not provided to those students who are well as this has not been recommended by any health agency. We will, however, continue to stress the need to properly wash hands. We will be instructing those students who are ill to clean their room once they are well to also reduce the risk of transmission.

We have also arranged for additional cleaning to take place within the communal living areas as required. To date, that has not been required.

We have worked with our Food Services provider, Chartwell’s, who are assisting us in providing food to resident students who are unable to go to the food service areas for meals. We are working with other Student Service departments as well as other University groups to ensure that if volunteers are required that we have a pool of individuals to help. Presently, we are able to manage well and students who are ill are recovering quickly.

We invite you to look at the website of the Government of Quebec concerning (A)H1N1 to better understand what information is being provided to your child. In particular, please view the Self-care guide, Decision Chart-If you have flu symptoms, and The pandemic influenza A(H1N1) vaccine.

Finally, we would like to assure that the professionals working in Concordia University Health Services are assisting us with any other guidance or support that may be required.

We will certainly communicate with you again if the situation changes.

Sincerely,

Melanie Drew, Director – Health Services & Residence Life
James Guthrie, Coordinator – Residence Life, SGW campus
Rich SwamiNathan, Coordinator – Residence Life, Loyola campus

FAQ

To date, there has not been a major outbreak of influenza-like illness at Concordia. There have been a very limited number of students suffering from influenza-like symptoms (a fever of 38°C or 100.4°F or more, accompanied by one or several of the following: cough, headache, fatigue or weakness, body or muscle aches, sore throat, chills). All students living in residences who have had such symptoms have recovered completely.

That is up to you and your daughter/son, but is not necessary. We continue to reach out to students to ensure how and when to access the public health resources or our health care team.

We encourage you to be in regular contact with your daughter/son and to help ensure your child is fully aware of steps that he or she can take to protect him/herself. For more information please consult the Concordia University website: www.concordia.ca/H1N1.

If your daughter/son has influenza-like symptoms, please ensure that he/she has consulted the Decision Chart to help decide on what action to take. On a practical level, please review the self-care guide and ensure that your daughter/son is equipped with some basic health care supplies, such as an electronic thermometer to monitor temperature and medications to reduce fever. As well, you may consider any other comfort items that you know may be useful.

Yes. They will need to show either a provincial health insurance card or an insurance card if they are an international student.

Consult the Quebec pandemic website

Students have been provided with information about who in Residence Services to contact should they be unwell and have been asked to self-isolate if they become ill.

• We check in with them regularly to ensure that they are hydrating themselves and that their symptoms are not worsening;
• We provide masks to students living in buildings with communal bathrooms in order to diminish the risk of transmission;
• Chartwell’s, our food services provider, is assisting us in providing food to resident students who are unable to go to the food service areas for meals;
• We are working with other Student Service departments as well as other university groups to identify volunteers in the event they are required.

Once students are better, we are also asking them to clean their room to once again reduce the risk of transmission. At this time, we are able to manage well and those students who are ill are recovering quickly.

We are making every effort to ensure that this does not happen. Individual situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Detailed information for reporting missed course assignments, mid-term and final exams due to influenza-like illness has been provided to all students. For more information, see the Information for students page.