To better take care of yourself and the UMD community during "flu" season, we offer the following information for preventing the flu and caring for yourself should you get the flu. If you need help distinguishing between a cold and the flu, check this page on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, Cold versus Flu.
Best measures for preventing the flu:
- FREE Flu shots are offered at Health Services during flu season to all UMD students.
- For all others, please click here for local resources, or check with your primary care clinic or your pharmacy.
- Avoid being around others who are sick.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use your sleeve (not your hands), if a tissue isn't available.
- Wash your hands frequently (soap and water or alcohol-based hand rubs).
- Clean commonly touched surfaces often.
What to do if you think you have the flu?
- Stay home when you're sick (per the CDC, at least 24 hours after your fever is gone). Check out this informative (and entertaining) video about the flu, and how long you are contagious.
- Restrict contact with other people, unless you need to seek medical care.
- Rest and drink a lot of fluids.
- If you have certain medical conditions (for example, diabetes, asthma or other respiratory illnesses and heart disease), you may be at higher risk for complications from the flu, and you should call your health care provider or health services for advice.
Who to contact with questions?
- If you have questions, please call your primary care provider's office or call UMD Health Services at 218-726-8155.
- Another great resource for flu questions is the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Currently you can call them at (651) 201.5414 during their office hours 8:00am to 4:30pm. If flu levels rise to a very high level, they may open their toll-free MN FluLine that is available 7 days a week / 24 hours a day.
- For more detailed information about the flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website is a great place to go, as well as the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).