Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced its guidance for colleges and universities.

If you are college-bound, print out this full story and take it with you.

If you are the parent of a college student, print out this full story and keep it. Your child may call for advice.

This article provided five key points for students and college staffs.

U.S. News and World Report/HealthDay News

Briefly summarized, the CDC recommendations include the following, which are explained fully in the news magazine’s story.

1. Practice good hygiene. (Hand-washing up to coughing etiquette)

2. Urge students to get their shots.

3. If students get sick, “self-isolation” is necessary. If they are in dorms, they can return home or use all available means to avoid contact with other students. Isolation is called for as long as the patient has a fever and should continue until 24 hours have passed without fever and without taking fever-reducing medications, the story says.

4. A “flu buddy” system. Students could pair up to exclusively care for each other if one becomes ill.

5. Abandon “doctor’s notes” for staff or students who say they are ill. That rule will over-tax already busy physicians and university health clinics.

Source: U.S. News and World Report/Health Day News, August 20, 2009

Clinical Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Briefing, August 20, 2009