An important message about the flu at Wake Forest

January 22, 2015

A message from the Wake Forest Student Health Service

The Student Health Service has begun to see large numbers of students (especially undergraduates) with influenza, “the flu”.  Typical symptoms include sudden onset of fever, body aches, headaches, sore throat, cough, and fatigue. Influenza is typically a self limiting illness that last from 5-7 days.  Influenza is a highly contagious illness that is easily spread in a classroom setting.

The purpose of this e-mail is to inform faculty, staff and students of this outbreak and to encourage appropriate public health measures with respect to class attendance and participation in other mandated activities.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends that anyone with symptoms of influenza stay home from work and/or school until the fever associated with the illness has been resolved for at least 24 hours. These individuals should stay home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings.

To reduce the spread of this illness, students should not be expected to attend class, labs, or other academic gatherings with these symptoms.  Because of high demand for clinical services, students should not be required to obtain documentation of this illness from the Student Health Service; faculty are encouraged to accept the verbal report from the student. We also encourage students to avoid contact in other settings including social gatherings, the library and eating in public dining venues.

Key facts about the flu can be found on the CDC website.