To: All Faculty & All Academic Professionals & All Civil Service Staff &
           All Undergrad Students & All Grad Students <everybody@illinois.edu> 
    From: "Kip Mecum" <kpmecum@uiuc.edu>

Reply-To: kpmecum@uiuc.edu
 Subject: MASSMAIL - Flu Season Preparedness

To All UIUC Students, Faculty, Staff, and Academic Professionals:  

	As Fall approaches, the campus is faced with the annual return of 
flu season.  You are aware that we have been preparing for a possible 
outbreak of avian flu, and the purpose of this email is to provide basic 
personal health and hygiene information intended to help persons reduce 
the risk of becoming ill.  

	The document, 'Avian Flu and You,' available at www.ocep.uiuc.edu
(click on avian flu), provides helpful hints for self-protection during 
the coming flu season.  We encourage you to share this information with 
family and friends.  These suggestions are relevant at all times of the 
year and especially as it relates to reducing your susceptibility to 
acquire colds, flu, and other diseases in the course of normal 
activity.    

	The following links provide information related to proper 
handwashing techniques: 
http://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/faq/hand.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/cruiselines/hand_hygiene_general.htm  

	Likewise, Dr. Ben Lounsbury, has created an excellent video with a 
humorous twist that addresses proper 'cough etiquette.'  His video 
provides information on how the spread of disease can be controlled simply 
by following common sense personal health techniques related to cough 
control.  The video can be viewed at http://www.coughsafe.com/index.html.
 
	Individuals may wish to store in their office personal hygiene 
supplies such as sanitizing hand gel and/or spray sanitizers for keyboards 
and telephone hand sets, and perhaps bottled water.  Bottled water reduces 
the reliance on the use of drinking fountains.  Individuals are encouraged 
to make sure they wash their hands before returning to work after using 
the restroom and/or when handling food.  When in public, be alert to 
potentially infected surfaces such as door handles, store counter tops, 
pay telephones, public restrooms, salad bar surfaces, etc. Reasonable 
restrictions on activities and the implementation of common sense personal 
hygiene habits have the potential to significantly reduce the probability 
of contracting a cold or the flu, especially if implemented prior to the 
start of the flu season.  

	Flu shots are an excellent way to reduce the risk of contracting 
the regular type of flu that we experience each winter.  Flu vaccine is 
available from many different sources in the community.  Please check with 
your provider about dates and places.  UIUC students should visit the 
McKinley website at http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu. 
 
	There is an updated version of the Campus Incident Action Plan for 
infectious disease on the Office of Campus Emergency Planning Website:  
www.ocep.uiuc.edu <http://www.ocep.uiuc.edu/>.   Other recent and future 
postings will include information on personal hygiene, a 'self-
instruction' PowerPoint presentation explaining the issues around avian 
flu, and a list of FAQ's.
 
	Your continued assistance in preparing for the eventual arrival of 
the flu season and the possible arrival of a pandemic is greatly 
appreciated.  Additional information is available on the McKinley Health 
Center website: www.mckinley.uiuc.edu <http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/>.  If 
you have questions, please direct them to Kip Mecum at the information 
shown below.

Kip Mecum 
Director of Emergency Planning 
Division of Public Safety - Room 130 
Public Safety Building - MC-240 
1110 W. Springfield 
Urbana, Illinois  61801 
Office:  217-333-1491               Cell:  217-493-1491  

This mailing approved by:
The Office of the Chancellor

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