Emergency Preparedness

The Nicholls State University Office of University Health Services will administer the H1N1 flu vaccine to members of the campus community beginning Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, and continuing throughout the spring 2010 semester.

Call 985-493-2600 to make an appointment. University Health Services is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

The vaccine is free. Clients are required to show a valid Nicholls ID.

Vaccinations are available by appointment only and are for the following high risk groups:

There will be pre-screening questions that will determine which type of vaccine you will receive; either by injection or nasal delivery system.

People at High Risk for Developing Flu-Related Complications

• Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
• Adults 25 to 64 years of age who have medical conditions that put them at risk (see listing below)
• Pregnant women
• Care givers of infants who are 6 months old or younger
• Children and young adults aged 6 months to 24 years
• Health Care/emergency medical service workers

People who have medical conditions including:

• Asthma
• Neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions [including disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy (seizure disorders), stroke, intellectual disability (mental retardation), moderate to severe developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury].
• Chronic  lung disease   (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease  [COPD] and cystic fibrosis)
• Heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)
• Blood disorders (such as sickle cell disease)
• Endocrine disorders (such as diabetes mellitus)
• Kidney disorders
• Liver disorders
• Metabolic disorders (such as inherited metabolic disorders and mitochondrial disorders)
• Weakened immune system due to disease or medication (such as people with HIV or AIDS, or cancer, or those on chronic steroids)
• People younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy

If you have any questions regarding patient vaccination eligibility please call the University Health Services office at 985-493-2600 or the Office of Public Health at 985-447-9016.

The Office of University Health Services will continue to update the Nicholls community regarding patient vaccination eligibility requirements as established by the CDC.

Nicholls State University is open, and classes are meeting as scheduled.

Hurricane Ida does not pose a threat to Nicholls at this time. However, due its location in the Gulf of Mexico, the Nicholls Emergency Preparedness Committee has initiated a Standby Alert in accordance with the 2009 Hurricane Emergency Plan posted at http://emergency.nicholls.edu.
Please refer to the Standby Alert paragraph posted online, and initiate the procedures you have in place for your respective departments and offices.
The committee will continue to monitor the storm and will take additional action if necessary. The university community will be notified if Phase I storm preparations are implemented.

Please continue to monitor your Nicholls e-mail account and the university’s Web site, www.nicholls.edu, for updates.

With Hurricane Ida entering the Gulf of Mexico, the Nicholls Emergency Preparedness Committee has initiated a Standby Alert in accordance with the 2009 Hurricane Emergency Plan posted at http://emergency.nicholls.edu. Read the rest of this entry »

Nicholls State University continues to monitor the developments of the H1N1 flu. The university will follow the recommendations and guidelines established by the National Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Campus officials are in continuous contact with the Office of Public Health, Region III, Thibodaux, La and the National Centers for Disease Control regarding any and all updates for the monitoring and treatment of the H1N1 flu.

Read the rest of this entry »

Nicholls State University continues to monitor the H1N1 flu outbreak. The university will follow the recommendations and guidelines established by the national Centers for Disease Control.

There are currently three confirmed cases of the H1N1 flu virus in Lafourche Parish, however there are no confirmed cases on the Nicholls campus.

According to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospital’s Web site, flula.com, there are 54 laboratory confirmed cases of the H1N1 flu virus in Louisiana – one in Ascension Parish, four in East Baton Rouge Parish, two in Iberia Parish, 29 in Lafayette Parish, three in Lafourche Parish, one in Orleans Parish, seven in Plaquemines Parish, two in St. Charles Parish, one in St. Landry Parish, one in St. Martin Parish, two in Terrebonne Parish and one in Vermilion Parish.

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your healthcare provider or University Health Services located on the first floor of Ayo Hall.

Recommended preventative actions to avoid flu and other communicable diseases:

1) Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
2) Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
3) Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
4) Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
5) Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
6) Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

Additional information is available on the Nicholls health services Web site – http://www.nicholls.edu/health/ and the Centers for Disease Control Web site – http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/.

If this situation escalates, the Nicholls community will be notified.

Nicholls State University is monitoring the human swine flu outbreak. The university will follow the recommendations and guidelines established by the national Centers for Disease Control.

There are currently no reported cases of human swine flu in Louisiana at this time.

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your healthcare provider or University Health Services located on the first floor of Ayo Hall.

Recommended preventative actions to avoid flu and other communicable diseases:

1) Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
2) Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
3) Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
4) Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
5) Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
6) Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

Additional information is available on the Nicholls health services Web site – http://www.nicholls.edu/health/ and the Centers for Disease Control Web site – http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/.

If this situation escalates, the Nicholls community will be notified.

Nicholls State University is open, and classes are meeting as scheduled. Students who are unable to attend their classes due to flooding will be granted an excused absence. Please contact your instructors via BlackBoard if you are unable to attend classes today, Friday, March 27, 2009.

Contractors will be upgrading the electrical system for the Nicholls State University data center on Monday, Nov. 24th and Tuesday, Nov. 25th. During this time, some online Web services will be interrupted.

The following Nicholls on-line web services will be available:

• Student email: https://webmail.nicholls.edu/gw/
• Blackboard: https://blackboard.nicholls.edu/
• Faculty/Staff email: https://mail.nicholls.edu/
• Nicholls Athletics: http://www.geauxcolonels.com/
• The Nicholls Worth: http://www.thenichollsworth.com/
• Bookstore: http://nich.bkstore.com/

The following on-line web services will not be available:

• The Nicholls State University website
• The Colonel Card website
• The ICAN website
• The AdvisorTrac website

SUSPECT CHARGED WITH SENDING THREATENING E-MAIL

The FBI arrested Dyron Hart, a 19-year-old African-American male, from Poplarville, Miss. Wednesday, Nov. 12, and charged him with sending threatening e-mails.
The arrest came after three Nicholls State University students reported receiving the threatening e-mail through their Facebook accounts. “Yesterday’s arrest by the FBI and our federal response should serve as a powerful signal to all we serve that vile and threatening communications will not be tolerated and will be met with swift response,” said US Attorney Jim Letten.
According to the FBI affidavit, Hart admitted to sending the threatening message to people who were on his “friends” list using his Facebook Internet account. He admitted sending messages to students at Nicholls, Louisiana State University, University of Mississippi, University of Alabama, and to individuals near his Poplarville residence. His stated purpose for sending the messages (in part) was to create a reaction.”
University records show that Hart was enrolled at Nicholls for one semester – spring 2008. Rob Bernardi, athletics director, said “Hart attempted to earn a walk-on spot on the football team. He practiced with the team from April 3 through April 19, but failed to meet NCAA clearing house qualifications, and therefore was never a member of the team.”
Hart faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised released. He was booked in the Stone County Jail in Mississippi and will go before the judge Thursday, Nov.13.
“I am pleased at how quickly this matter was resolved,” said Dr. Stephen Hulbert, Nicholls president. “Our university police department worked in complete cooperation with the FBI, Louisiana State Police, the Poplarville Mississippi Police Department and the Assistant US Attorney’s Office to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.”
Nicholls has requested the FBI assist the university by offering an Internet safety workshop for students during the spring 2009 semester.

The Office of the FBI, Eastern District, has informed Nicholls State University that the individual responsible for the threatening e-mails sent to at least three Nicholls students has been identified as a 19 year old, African-American male from Poplarville, Miss. The FBI reported that the investigation is continuing and that charges are pending the completion of the investigation. All questions regarding the matter should be directed to the FBI, Eastern District, New Orleans, La.