Flu Guidance for Residents

What Student Housing Services is doing:

• Hand Sanitizer in Lobbies- In addition to the hand soap found in all public restrooms, hand sanitizer dispensers are being ordered and will be installed in all lobby areas.
• Housekeeping- Housekeeping will continue to do its normal cleanings and will increase cleaning as necessitated by flu cases in buildings.  Normal cleaning includes wipe downs of public areas.
• Working with University Health Services- Student Housing will be working with University Health Services to provide residents timely information which may include in-housing informational meetings, etc.  For more information about University Health Services, please visit their website (http://www.hawaii.edu/shs/). 
• Communication- Student Housing Services will communicate with students and parents in a variety of ways to keep residents up to date concerning issues related to student health in the student housing communities.  Information will be sent via email to residents or can be found on the housing website (www.housing.hawaii.edu), the Resident Family website (www.housing.hawaii.edu/resfam) or the Campus Parent and Family Relations website (http://parents.manoa.hawaii.edu).  Additionally, if students have any specific questions, they should contact housing staff.

What Student Housing Services can specifically do for you if you are dealing with a flu-like illness:

• If you are practicing “self-isolation” (staying away from classes and limiting interactions with other people), Student Housing Services staff can help you get your meal plan meals delivered from the cafeteria.  Please contact your community staff for this assistance.
• If you or your roommates are dealing with a flu-like illness, we can find temporary accommodations for residents that will increase self-isolation from roommates and provide for private bathrooms.  Please contact your community staff or the housing office for more information concerning this option.
• If you need help contacting faculty, please inform the Student Housing Services staff and we will relay information to faculty.

What Residents can do to help:

• First, remember the basics of flu prevention: stay home when sick, wash hands frequently with soap and water when possible, and cover noses and mouths with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or a shirt sleeve or elbow if no tissue is available). 
• When dealing with a flu-like illness on campus, know that there are many people here to help you.  Don’t hesitate to visit University Health Services.  Contact faculty by phone or email to let them know why you are missing class.  Additionally, please contact your Resident Advisor, Residence Director or other Student Housing Services staff so they can help you.
• "Social Distancing" can help prevent the spread of flu.  Social distancing is about staying away from crowds and maintaining a 6 foot space away from others when you have to interact with them. 
• Those with a flu-like illness should  practice “self-isolation” as much as possible (except to seek medical care) for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever (a fever is defined as having a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater), or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines.
• Students with a private room should consider remaining in their room and receive care and meals from a friend or “flu buddy”. Establishing a “flu buddy scheme” in which you pair up with someone to care for each other if one or the other becomes ill is one way to accomplish this.
• If your roommate or someone with whom you are in close contact has influenza, please try to minimize direct, face-to-face contact with the ill individual. Wash your hands frequently with hand sanitizer or warm water and soap. Get plenty of sleep and maintain healthy eating habits to help your immune system. You may want to consider temporarily relocating to another location (family or friend’s house) or Student Housing Services can temporarily relocate you.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your hall staff or the Student Housing Services office at (808) 956-8177.