WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue Student Health Center on Wednesday (Sept. 2) reported that 47 students with suspected H1N1 influenza (swine flu) have been treated there.

If you are ill with influenza, do not attend class or go to work. If you are a student, know ahead of time what the absence policy is. Contact your professors, instructors or employers to let them know you are ill as soon as possible.

All appear to have relatively mild cases, much like the seasonal flu. The patients have been advised to take the same steps they would for any type of flu.

The university also has received reports from one urgent care center in the area that staff members there have seen students with flulike symptoms. Individuals under age 25 are expected to be more likely to contract this strain because they have little or no immunity.

James Westman, director of the Purdue Student Health Center, said that since this is not flu season, he has been advised to consider all cases of flu to likely be H1N1. A quick test can confirm if the influenza virus is Type A, of which H1N1 is a subset, and costs the patient $50. Consequently, patients will only be tested upon request and in consultation with a health-care provider. The Student Health Center reports seven confirmed Type A influenza cases. A second test is needed to confirm if it is H1N1, and that takes at least two or three days.

Before coming to the health center, students are asked to call if possible at 765-494-1700 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. For those with mild symptoms, it may not be necessary to come in. After hours, students can call for advice to the Collegiate Assistance Line at 866-272-7119, PIN 390.

Due to the increased number of students who are ill, the health center and Purdue Pharmacy, which normally would close for Labor Day, will remain open. The pharmacy hours for the weekend are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday and Monday.

To prevent spreading the illness, Westman advises:

• If you are ill with influenza, do not attend class or go to work. If you are a student, know ahead of time what the absence policy is. Contact your professors, instructors or employers to let them know you are ill as soon as possible.
• If you live in a Purdue residence hall, let your residence hall advisor know. Sick meals can be prepared for you. They also can provide cleaning products for you and those around you.
• Stay home at least 24 hours after your temperature returns to normal without the aid of medicine.
• Isolate yourself. If you can, go home. If you can’t do either of these, suggest your roommate relocate until you no longer have a fever and other symptoms. The ill person also should wear a mask when others are present to help prevent spreading the infection.
• Use the buddy system. Ask friends to check on you and help buy what you need.

“It’s a good idea to have a thermometer and fever-reducing medicine such as acetaminophen on hand,” Westman said. “You might also want to put some hand sanitizer in your backpack and living area.”

As with most viruses, flu is spread primarily by coughs and sneezes or by touching contaminated surfaces and transferring the virus by hand to your nose, mouth or eyes. To increase the chances of staying healthy and helping prevent spread, he suggests:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Cough into your sleeve or a tissue to prevent spreading germs. Do not cough into your hands. Dispose of tissues in a wastebasket.
• Wash your hands with soap under warm running water for 20 seconds and rinse your hands well. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use the paper towel to turn off the faucet and turn the doorknob. Be sure your hands are dry before directly touching anything.
• Consider getting a vaccination against the seasonal flu as soon as they become available on campus. While they will not protect against H1N1, they will protect against previously known flu strains.

More ways to minimize risk can be found at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site on homecare at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance_homecare.htm

Flu symptoms usually appear 24-48 hours after exposure to the virus, and people remain contagious for seven days after the onset of symptoms.

Basic flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, chills and body aches. Seek emergency care immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting

The first shipment of H1N1 vaccine is expected to be available on campus no sooner than late October, and then more are expected to follow. Two doses may be needed.

Updated information from Purdue and government agencies will be available at http://www.purdue.edu/fluinfo A link also can be found on the Purdue home page.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A new Purdue University residence hall that has 365 student rooms with private baths and air-conditioning, and living rooms with flat-screen televisions for each cluster of 22 rooms, will open its doors Aug. 15 when students begin returning to campus.

The last new residence hall to be completed was in 1993, when Hillenbrand Hall opened featuring rooms in a suite arrangement.

Exterior view of the main entrance to First Street Towers. The new residence hall, which has 365 student rooms with private baths and air-conditioning, and living rooms with flat-screen televisions for each cluster of 22 rooms, will open its doors Aug. 15. (Purdue University/Andrew Hancock)

First Street Towers, a $52 million housing facility, is a unique campus housing configuration, where upperclassman can have their privacy plus enjoy the benefits of living on campus, such as easy access to classes, well-maintained facilities and a secure environment, said Tom Paczolt, general manager of First Street Towers.

The new hall includes a community center consisting of a conference room, multipurpose room, recreation room and student club rooms. Construction of the complex, across the street from Earhart Dining Court and just a block from the Purdue Recreational Sports Center, began in June 2007 and ended this month.

The public may tour the new hall during an open house from 3–6 p.m. Thursday (Aug. 6). Parking is available in the University Residences parking spots around neighboring halls.

“This is a great new housing option for upperclassman because it gives them their own personal space to live in and focus on their studies,” said Barbara Frazee, executive director of University Residences. “The residents also will live in a community atmosphere. We have programming and activities to help them transition from college into the work force.

A bedroom is ready for an occupant at First Street Towers. Each bedroom is for one student and features a private bathroom and shower. (Purdue University/Andrew Hancock)

“For instance, there will be activities to teach them how to make banking and housing decisions beyond college; how to look for a job; how to write resumes and practice for job interviews – skills that upperclassman need, in particular.”

First Street Towers is especially well-suited to a new generation of students who are used to growing up having their own bedrooms, Paczolt said.

The new residence hall with replace rooms lost to renovations at Cary Quadrangle, the conversion of Young Hall into an office building and the razing of apartments at Purdue Village.

The single rooms increase the diversity of housing options available off campus and provide students a move-up option in addition to suites and apartments, said John Sautter, vice president of housing and food services.

“University Residences this year will once again fill nearly all 12,000 beds it has available on campus,” said Bob Heitert, director of administration for University Residences. “Last spring, about 41 percent of students signed up to live another year on campus. That, coupled with the new freshmen class and transfer students, will culminate in a robust occupancy for fall this year.”

Purdue Residences is the largest on-campus housing system in the nation among universities where students are not required to live on campus. About 30 percent of all Purdue students live on campus.

Purdue University Residences is entirely self-supporting and receives no tax or tuition dollars. More University Residences information is available online at http://www.housing.purdue.edu/

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University students living on campus donated 3,984 pounds of food to give a boost to mail carriers in Tippecanoe County during the 16th annual National Association of Letter Carriers food drive.

In its first year of participating, Purdue University Residences pushed the local total up to 74,000 pounds, two tons more than last year. That increase helped the local carriers defeat Monroe County carriers, assisted by Indiana University students, by several thousand pounds. Tippecanoe County carriers retain the small wooden bucket that goes to the winner of each year’s friendly competition, a prize similar to the Old Oaken Bucket given annually to the winner of the Purdue-Indiana football game.

University Residences’ students contributed 3,984 pounds, which goes to Food Finders Food Bank in Lafayette, Ind. The food bank’s resource director said she is “completely thrilled” by the generosity of Purdue students.

“We are so pleased that Purdue residence halls chose to participate,” said Kim Motuliak. “The staff and students were so cooperative and wonderful to work with.”

Fifteen residence halls collected food in barrels placed at each hall’s front desk prior to students going home for the summer. Motuliak said many students donated food that likely would have been thrown away.

“But it was obvious that some of the students even went out and purchased food specifically for this campaign,” she said. “That was very sweet of them.”

Purdue University Residences was invited to participate by Food Finders Food Bank volunteer Jennifer Barth, a freshman from Houston, who lives in Purdue’s Shreve Hall. Barth, who volunteered at food banks throughout high school, continued to serve as Food Finders Food Bank’s liaison with Purdue housing officials throughout the campaign.

“Young people can make a big difference in their community,” Barth said. “I’m glad I was able to help my fellow students make an immediate impact for those in need.”

The food bank will distribute items to food pantries, homeless shelters, senior centers and other such facilities in a 16-county region that stretches between the perimeter of the Indianapolis and Chicago metropolitan areas. Allyson Hodge, Purdue University Residences director of community relations, said she is proud of Barth’s accomplishment.

“It’s exactly that kind of leadership we work to instill in our nearly 12,000 residents through an array of charitable activities throughout the school year,” Hodge said. “Through projects like ‘Battle of the Barrels,’ our residents get to learn one of the most important lessons of college: how to become a better global citizen.”

Purdue University, particularly Housing and Food Services, contributes regularly to the food bank. Since December, Food Stores University Residences alone have contributed more than 15 tons.

Food Finders Food Bank is already planning to partner with University Residences residents again next year for the letter carriers’ food drive.

“Their first-year contribution of nearly 4,000 pounds has already proven incredibly valuable,” Motuliak said. “As students become more accustomed to participating, I expect their contributions to grow by leaps and bounds.”