Preventive Tips

USF encourages good health habits to prevent the spreading of flu.  The most effective methods of prevention include:

  • GET VACCINATED!! The H1N1 vaccine is available Monday through Friday 10 AM to 4 PM at Student Health Services free of charge for all students, faculty and staff.

  • Stay informed. This website and the sites listed below will be updated regularly as information becomes available.

  • Influenza is thought to be spread mainly person to person through the coughing or sneezing of infected people.

  • Take everyday actions to stay healthy.

    • Cover your nose and mouth with a fresh tissue or your sleeve when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. DO NOT RE-USE TISSUES.

    • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective. Pay special attention to hand washing before approaching food preparation or consumption.

    • Do not share food, eating utensils, drinks, straws, toothbrushes or cigarettes.

    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

    • Stay home if you get sick. The CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

  • Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.

  • Find healthy ways to deal with stress and anxiety.

  • Be prepared in case you get sick and need to stay home for a week or so; a supply of over-the-counter medicines, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, tissues and other related items might  be useful and help avoid the need to make trips out in public while you are sick and contagious.

For more details on important habits to prevent spreading germs visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits.htm?s_cid=swineFlu_outbreak_003.  These tips are especially important for students as they often experience a reduction in sleep and an increase in stress which may cause some compromise to their immune systems.

Hand Sanitizers

Washing hands helps to reduce the spread of the H1N1 virus by using soap and water or hand sanitizers.

Purchasing and Property Services advises hand sanitizers can now be purchased using university funds. Multiple vendors were contacted regarding the cost and availability of hand sanitizers.

Purchasing and Property Services indicates they have found a good price from Fisher Scientific: AlcoSCRUB vendor catalog number # 14-379-31. Price $41.65 a case (12 per case), which is $3.47 a bottle and meets the CDC’s requirements of 62% alcohol content. These are 16 oz. desktop bottles, which includes the pump on each bottle. If you are interested in wipes, the catalog number is 14-415-16. Contact USF’s representative, Leslie Erb (see below) for a cost on the wipes.

Fisher Scientific offers free shipping per an agreement. You will need to have an account setup with Fisher if you do not have an existing account currently. Fisher’s representative on campus is Leslie Erb. You may contact her for any help on this matter or to be set up with an account. Her e-mail address is leslie.erb@thermofisher.com and her number is 941.544.2078.

Bulls Country Pharmacy sells hand sanitizer that meets the same requirements but in 8 oz bottles with a pump on top to University departments for $1. They cannot fill large orders (60+) yet, but they can certainly fulfill most small ones. The pharmacy accepts all p-cards and you don’t have to set up an account. Call the pharmacy at 4-2071 to place orders.

As a not-for-profit pharmacy, all funds generated above Bulls Country Pharmacy’s operating costs go into improving Student Health Services!