Preventative steps encouraged as classes begin today

By Neil Offen

noffen@heraldsun.com; 419-6646

DURHAM -- It's the first day of classes at N.C. Central University today, and students will have to remember to bring their textbooks, take notes and participate in the discussions.

They'll also have to remember to wash their hands, cover their coughs and do their best to stay healthy.

"That's what we've been telling them," said Letitia Hazel, the medical director of NCCU's student health service. "We've been fairly active with getting information out to them about the importance of healthy habits. It's really important now."

The reason, of course, is the H1N1 influenza virus.

The virus accounts for more than 90 percent of current influenza cases in the state and the nation. In response to its spread, the World Health Organization in June declared a global influenza pandemic. Officials at Central, Hazel said, have been preparing for pandemic flu -- although not necessarily H1N1 -- for more than three years.

"Around that time we established a pandemic flu committee, and began developing a plan [about what to do] for the university," she said. "All the UNC system's schools began developing their pandemic flu plans at that time."

The preparations, however, have gained speed in recent months and weeks.

"We have partnered with the Durham County Health Department to get information out and put up fliers and posters all over campus," Hazel said. "We've had various departments involved and had presentations just last week on what we -- staff and faculty -- should be doing about this ourselves."

The advice for staff and faculty is the same as the advice for the incoming students: wash your hands, cover your cough, avoid those who are sick, eat well, drink lots of fluids, get plenty of rest and exercise.

And, perhaps most important, Hazel said, "if you do get sick, stay home."

NCCU is expecting a bumper crop of students today, most likely its largest freshman class ever. The university has admitted more than 3,500 first-year students, and administrators expect around 1,500 to actually enroll, although exact figures won't be known until later in the month. The class is so big that the university ran out of available beds in residence halls on campus.

To make room for the increased numbers, NCCU had to contract last month with the Millennium Hotel to house 300 students. Those students will all be upper-classmen; first-year students were all guaranteed beds on campus.