School officials here at Bucks
are stepping up efforts to prevent
incidents of swine flu, officially
called the H1N1 virus, but they
are also preparing for the possibility
of an outbreak.
Starting this semester, signs
appeared in all of the restrooms
reminding students to wash their
hands. Hand sanitizer dispensers
have also appeared in several
high-traffic areas around campus.
Karen Dawkins, Dean of
Student Affairs said, “All the recommendations
from the CDC
(Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention) and the Pennsylvania
Department of Health include the
importance of washing hands.
We have purchased equipment
for more regular and comprehensive
cleaning of areas such as rest
rooms as well as hiring additional
per diem employees to use this
equipment to clean on an
increased schedule.”
Dawkins also sent a mass email
to all students on Sept. 20 listing
the steps they can take to slow the
spread of the virus.
Despite these efforts, the message
may not be getting through
to some students. Jason, 27, a
second-semester student from
Warminster said, “…I haven’t
really seen any signs or anyone
really pushing to educate me on it
or anything like that.” When
asked whether he had noticed the
new hand sanitizer dispensers, he
said he had not realized they were
there.
Taking the H1N1 threat seriously,
the Bucks administration
has a plan in place for dealing
with a possible outbreak.
When asked about the possibility
of campus closure, Dawkins
responded, “We are not anticipating
a campus closing, but if
events brought that into question,
we would consult with the Pa.
Department of Health and others
before making such a decision.”
Even if the school stays open,
students may be spending more
time out of class, as they wait to
recover from illness.
The administration understandsthat some students may be out
for a while.
According to Dawkins, “We are
asking faculty to review their policies
on absenteeism, exams and
late assignments so that these concerns
don’t prevent students from
staying home when ill or prompt
them to return to class when they
might still be infectious.”
There is also a possibility that
some students may stay home to
avoid catching flu altogether.
Shalini Rushi, 19, from
Philadelphia was asked whether
she would still attend her regular
classes if the swine flu hit Bucks.
Shalini said, “I would come to
class, but I’d wash my hands all
the time, and I would go to the
bathroom and make sure I’d wash
my hands. I wouldn’t touch things
that other people are touching.”