Travel Advisory

Dear Members of the Campus Community:

If you’re planning to travel abroad, Health Services encourages you to take precautions against seasonal influenza by getting the flu vaccine. Employees may contact their health care provider for further information, and students may also call Health Services at 973-761-9175. More travel advice can be found online at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov) and the World Health Organization (www.who.int).

In addition to flu vaccine, it is always prudent to follow good hygiene practices to protect yourself from viral infections. These practices include:

Washing your hands frequently
Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth after coming in contact with objects such as keyboards and door knobs
Cover your mouth when sneezing and coughing, use tissues and dispose of them properly; encourage others to do the same

Given the heightened awareness of the avian influenza Type H5N1, also known as the “bird flu,” Health Services offers the following tips for those who may be traveling to areas where cases of the avian flu have been reported. Confirmed cases of bird-to-human transmission have been reported in several countries, including China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Avoid contact with poultry (chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons, turkeys, and quail) or any wild birds.
Avoid settings where H5N1-infected poultry may be present, such as commercial or backyard poultry farms and live poultry markets.
Do not eat uncooked or undercooked poultry or poultry products.
Discuss antiviral medication with your health care provider before departing the United States.

If you believe you may have been exposed to influenza during your travel, including avian influenza, during your travel, please follow these important steps:

Monitor your health for at least 10 days.
If, at any point during this period, you become ill with fever and develop a cough, sore throat, or difficulty breathing, or if you develop any illness with fever, consult a health care provider.
Before you visit Health Services or any health care provider, call the office first and tell the provider the following: your symptoms, where you traveled, and if you have had direct contact with poultry.
Travel only if you are seeking medical care. Limiting contact with others as much as possible can help prevent the spread of an infectious illness.

If you have any questions, please contact Health Services at 973-761-9175.

Sincerely,

Joan Osthues, RN, C
Director, Health Services

For information about AIR TRAVEL restrictions and advice, in light of the recent increased terror threats in Great Britain per US Homeland Security [Transportation Security Administration]