Keeping the Jewell Community Healthy

Part of responsible community living includes taking care of yourself and helping those around you stay healthy. During flu season and throughout the year, we ask everyone in our campus community observe these guidelines from the National Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

• 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 and before and after eating.
• Alcohol-based hand cleaners also are effective and have been placed near campus restrooms and in high-traffic areas.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth to help prevent the spread of germs.
• If you get sick, the CDC recommends you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Preparation for flu season

Jewell has a detailed pandemic response plan that guides our actions in the event H1N1 is present on campus. This plan is administered by both the College’s leadership and a group of additional faculty, staff, and local health officials to ensure it is implemented in the best interests of our students and the local community. This plan includes specific information on the following:

• Education – When campus health updates are needed, we will post them on this site. Jewell collaborates with the Clay County Health Department to provide educational information, flu vaccine clinic details and other health resources. The College also has scheduled multiple educational programs to ensure students have several opportunities to receive this information. 
• Prevention and Mitigation – Last year the College installed additional hand sanitizer dispensers throughout campus so faculty, staff and students can easily access sanitizer that minimizes the existence of common viruses on their hands. In addition, the College has been using cleaning supplies year-round that are certified to kill the H1N1 virus as well as other common viruses that cause flu and the common cold.
• Communication – The College is in regular contact with our College physician, Dr. Dana Granberg, as well as Liberty Hospital, Clay County Health Center, and a pandemic planning group organized by state and county officials to respond in the event of a flu outbreak. These officials are in regular contact, providing us with information, updates and resources. In addition, the College communicates with students, parents, faculty and staff via our online William Jewell College Health Update and through our parent web page.
•  Response – A student with confirmed H1N1 may be asked to leave campus and go home for a minimum of one week or until symptoms have subsided for at least 24 hours. The College has a dedicated residential facility available for students who have a confirmed diagnosis but no way to go home for the intervening period of time. In addition, the College has a plan for dealing with the aftermath of a student’s absence, ensuring that students can continue to move forward with their academic responsibilities with as little interruption as possible. Jewell acts aggressively and responsibly in attempting to mitigate and prevent the spread of influenza on campus.
• Recovery – The College has the responsibility and a plan to ensure all potential cases of H1N1 are reviewed and confirmed as no longer symptomatic. Once that has been done by the College and health care officials, Jewell immediately begins an audit process, which includes a review of all steps taken from prevention through response, to ensure we improve our processes in the event of another case. This recovery phase includes sending additional information to students, faculty, staff and parents.

If you think you have the flu
Persons experiencing flu-like symptoms (which usually include some combination of fever, aches, coughing, diarrhea, or vomiting,) should:

• Seek medical attention within 24 to 48 hours of the first indication of symptoms.
• Students: Advise Tracy Hart in Student Affairs of your condition.
• Faculty and staff: Advise Penny Owens in Human Resources of your condition.
• If your test results are positive for the common seasonal flu, we ask that you proceed as if you have contracted the H1N1 virus. Take the appropriate steps listed below to protect the Jewell community from infection.

If you test positive for seasonal flu 

• You may not return to work or classes until you are symptom-free (without the aid of medication) for 24 hours (this typically takes five to seven days for symptoms to subside). Documentation from your physician is required before you can return to work or classes.
• Students residing on-campus who test positive for the seasonal flu are asked to temporarily relocate off-campus. The south wing of Jones Residence Hall is the designated on-campus interim relocation site and is available for those unable to relocate off-campus.