<p>Has Cornell confirmed that this information?</p>
<p>The students received an email from President Skorton earlier today. [Cornell</a> Student Dies From H1N1 Complications | The Cornell Daily Sun](<a href=“http://cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2009/09/11/cornell-student-dies-h1n1-complications]Cornell”>Cornell Student Dies From H1N1 Complications - The Cornell Daily Sun)</p>
<p>Yes, I actually just read it on the web page. My thoughts and prayers are with his family friends, and the Cornell community. I just spoke to one of my kids and the Frats have cancelled all parties. It sounds like it is escalating quicker than anyone had expected. I wonder if they will make any adjustments to the current plan that is in place.</p>
<p>This is so tragic. :(</p>
<p>R.I.P. Warren</p>
<p>I’m very concerned because I know that many students still attend classes and parties when they are sick–against Gannett’s recommendations. Not to mention that the number of students with flu-like symptoms must be significantly greater than the 450 reported, considering that some students who are sick have not contacted Gannett. This situation is scary. :(</p>
<p>I think they should just cancel school next week.</p>
<p>And not make us make it up.</p>
<p>Depending on how the situation progresses, that’s a possibility: [CDC</a> Guidance for Responses to Influenza for Institutions of Higher Education during the 2009-2010 Academic Year](<a href=“http://pandemicflu.gov/professional/school/higheredguidance.html]CDC”>Pandemic Flu | Pandemic Flu | CDC)</p>
<p>did he/she have previous health problems?</p>
<p>I just read the e-mail…RIP :(</p>
<p>It’s really worrisome that students are still coming to class with flu-like symptoms. One girl sat next to me in a lecture for a week hacking up a lung until she finally took a trip home to recover - it’s a wonder nobody around her caught anything! But what scares me the most is being in Bailey Hall for Psych 101…Prof. Maas’ lectures are basically accompanied by a chorus of coughing, and one student sitting behind me has just been quarantined :/</p>
<p>I was SHOCKED when I read the email. RIP…
The situation is much more serious than I would have ever imagined. I really hope Cornell takes some sort of action (be it cancelling school o whatever) before the flu spreads any further.</p>
<p>That’s nuts… Ithaca College has 19 cases. We have like 500.</p>
<p>Who wants to go spread the love tomorrow? Haha. Just kidding…</p>
<p>i really feel like skorton’s message should have included some more background info since the kid did (or at least from what i heard) have pre-existing conditions that made it harder to treat him, but at the same time - i know that that might have been too private of details for a mass-email.</p>
<p>My son is a freshman in Cornell. When I helped him move into his dorm, I noticed there is no any form of hand soap provided in their bathrooms. Do they expect a student to carry a bar of hand soap with them when they go to the bathroom??? Washing hands is key to prevent any illness. We pay $900/month for a double room, in upstate New York. I am shocked to see there is no hand soap provided in the dorm bathrooms.</p>
<p>Cornell could be doing more. They should have hand sanitizer at every entrance and hire more housekeeping people to wipe down door knobs regularly. Professors should ask any sick student to leave the room. It is disturbing to me that the school has not sent out any emails to parents on what steps they are taking to prevent further spread of the virus, and if the school’s health facility is able to handle the epidemic.</p>
<p>My daughter is abroad now. But if she is there, I would ask her to not go to any public places unless it’s absolutely necessary, carry a hand sanitizer, get plenty of sleep, and pump up on vitamins. If you are healthy, even if you get the virus, it would be much easier to fight it off.</p>
<p>It must be devastating to the student’s family, and to the Cornell community as a whole.</p>
<p>Stay well everyone.</p>
<p>The updated CornellSun article states
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<p>My deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of this student. I can’t even imagine the pain they must be going through.</p>
<p>As a parent of a Cornell student, I would like to understand what happened. There have been three deaths on college campuses. One of the students had a very serious underlying condition, and another thought he was recovering but then contracted pneumonia. The more information that is out there, the more students will undertand what they can do to protect themselves. </p>
<p>A few days ago, I sent my D a “flu kit” with hand sanitizer, medicine and a thermometer. I know that with a thermometer, it’s easier to objectively understand that you are sick and take symptoms seriously.</p>
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<p>Unless the family wants to share, it’s against federal and state laws to release such information.</p>
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<p>Absolutely inexcusable!</p>
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<p>At a minimum. A couple of years ago, Dartmouth found that pink eye outbreaks were a helped by germs being spread on common computer terminals. (Dartmouth has long had it’s own version of ‘chat’, and students would check messages a gazillion times a day from computers in every building lobby.) Put a cover on the keyboards and wipe several times a day, and voila, pink eye declined.</p>
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<p>I live in Balch and there is always hand soap in the hall bathrooms (although we had to provide our own for the sinkrooms)…I had no idea that other dorms had no soap! That really is not okay.</p>
<p>
That is true. But from a public health standpoint, it is likely a state or federal agency WILL give us information as to whether the student had underlying health problems putting him at higher risk. The info given technically will not include any identifying details like his name. But we will most likely be able to link the info given his location/age/school.</p>
<p>Is there hand sanitizer at the entrance to the dining halls? I don’t think I remember seeing any. Think of how many students walk into the dining hall and help themselves to food using shared serving utensils. Any illness could be spread very easily under those conditions.</p>
<p>On a separate note, my daughter was pretty sick with flu-like symptoms the first weekend of school. She tried to call Gannett several times on Sunday, but no one answered. She ended up getting better on her own in a couple of days, but I was mildly annoyed that there was no one there to answer the phone. It was the first time that she was pretty sick while at school, and the experience did not leave me with a good feeling. (and this was right after we went on a tour with my younger daughter and heard about how health services at Gannett are always available!) :(</p>
<p>Well, dorm bathrooms are not public bathrooms because dorms are not public places. But I think it would still be a good idea to provide liquid hand soap in the dorm bathrooms because students’ guests use those bathrooms, and unlike the resident students, they are not likely to bring their own soap with them. Also, some resident students may forget to bring soap if they simply go into the bathroom to use the toilet, rather than to take a shower or shave or put on makeup. Having liquid soap available would probably increase the frequency of handwashing among the residents, too.</p>
<p>There had better be liquid soap in all the bathrooms in public buildings on campus. That’s basic.</p>
<p>As for Gannett not answering the phone, I suggest e-mailing President Skorton if it happens again. His NetID is in the online directory. (So is a phone number, but it’s probably his office phone, not his home phone.)</p>
<p>I’m a germ freak. I always wash my hands whenever I CAN… if there’s a hand sanitizer right there, I will use it even if I just got of the bathroom and washed my hands. I don’t touch doorknobs, I use my shirt. I will hold doors open with my foot if possible, use elbows to cover my coughs or cough in my shirt. I’m considerate of others too. I don’t shake people’s hands. I keep a hand sanitizer in my backpack all the time and one in my dorm. I always have a bottle of water with me, and always refill it like 4-6 times a day. Always be hydrated.</p>
<p>The key to not getting sick is just knowing that your hands are the key to getting you sick.</p>
<p>Edit: There are automatic hand sanitizers in RPC, Appel, and Oakenshields, I didn’t go to any dining hall besides those so far. I’m a freshman…</p>
<p>Also, keep your room clean, wipe your desks with a cleaner. Lysol is your friend. </p>
<p>Don’t ever eat without washing your hands. 99% of people I see don’t do this. (they don’t use the hand sanitizer at the dining halls)…trust me, I watch this. </p>
<p>I don’t want to brag or anything, but I haven’t gotten the flu since like 8th grade. It’s true I’ve gotten the flu-shot every year. I’ve also been vaccinated for meningitis. I get the occasional cough, sore throat, and a crazy runny nose, other words the cold. The key to not getting the flu is also to be smart and vigilant of what you do. </p>
<p>Another way to easily get sick is to rub your nose and eyes. You can easily get sick if your hands are infected and you rub your eyes with your fingers. Just use a tissue.</p>