Headlines (Notices)
Influenza Pandemic
Laurier launches flu portal for university community to report absence due to flu symptoms
Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing
Oct 8/09
Wilfrid Laurier University has launched a “flu declaration” website (www.wlu.ca/h1n1) for students, staff and faculty to report if they are absent from class, work or teaching due to the flu or flu symptoms. Flu-like illness means: the onset of respiratory symptoms with fever and cough AND one or more of the following symptoms: sore throat, muscle aches, joint pain or fatigue. Nausea and diarrhea may also be present.
Information for students
Due to concerns about the spread of the H1N1 flu in the community, Public Health does not recommend students see a doctor for the sole purpose of getting a note to exempt them from academic requirements. In keeping with this recommendation, Laurier students are not required in Fall 2009 to obtain a physician's note in order to request academic accommodation due to absence because of flu-like symptoms. Instead, by visiting www.wlu.ca/h1n1 and using their secure Novell login and password, students can electronically identify the days they have been unable to fulfill academic requirements due to flu-like illness.
Students with flu symptoms should still contact Health Services if they would normally seek medical attention for their illness or if they have a co-existing chronic medical condition.
Students must complete the form within 24 hours of their return to class if they are requesting academic accommodation for missed course work during the Fall 2009 term.
Information gathered by the flu declaration website will also be used to identify patterns and incidences of flu-like illnesses and to track occurrences of the flu in residence, in response to requests from Public Health regarding student absenteeism due to the flu. At this stage, the number of people visiting the university’s Health Services office with influenza-like symptoms is consistent with previous flu seasons, though an increase is anticipated as the flu season progresses.
Information for staff and faculty
Laurier staff and faculty should also use the flu declaration website to declare absence from work and teaching due to symptoms of flu. Employee declaration will be used exclusively for the purpose of tracking and reporting total incidents of communicable flu-related illness on campus.
Participation will aid Laurier, in conjunction with Public Health units, in monitoring the potential and actual impacts of the H1N1 situation on our community.
For more information, read Laurier’s previous notice on the H1N1 virus here.
For more general information about pandemic influenza, visit Laurier’s influenza pandemic website at www.wlu.ca/pandemic.
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