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Fitchburg State College Pandemic Planning Activities Spring, 2006

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What is Pandemic Flu? It is known as the ... Starts out as typical flu symptoms ... Even if the bird flu isn't the one that does it, another one's going to. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Fitchburg State College Pandemic Planning Activities Spring, 2006


1
Fitchburg State College Pandemic Planning
Activities Spring, 2006
  • Presentation to Central Links (Annual Meeting)
  • June 1, 2006

2
What is Pandemic Flu?
It is known as the H5N1 influenza virus
At present, has been largely confined to
migratory birds and poultry stocks in Asia (and
into Europe) However, there have been isolated c
ases of bird-to-human transmission victims
generally have significant exposure to sick birds
(butchering, etc.). Recent concern of first
human-to-human contact in Indonesia.
Expectation is that virus becomes more
efficient over time increasing efficiency in
bird-to-human contact, increasing efficiency in
human-to-human contact. Particularly dangerous s
train of influenza highly contagious, humans
have no developed immunity Starts out as typical
flu symptoms In 2-5 days, those struck are like
ly to develop significant complications (e.g.,
diffuse pneumonia) with potential for significant
mortality rate.
3
How Will Such a Pandemic Likely Play Out?
  • Likely to happen across Commonwealth and affect
    all regions simultaneously
  • Expected to occur in at least 2 waves of
    approximately 8 weeks duration each potential
    (total) duration could be as much as 1-2 years
  • Projected numbers are spread across the wave,
    with a peak occurring mid-wave (normal curve
    model)
  • High attack rate among healthcare workers
  • High attack rate among those aged 15-35
  • Both vaccines and antivirals are expected to be
    in very short supply, particularly for college
    population

4
Recent Pandemic Concerns
  • From Ten Things You Need to Know About Pandemic
    Influenza (World Health Organization, Oct. 14,
    2005)
  • The world may be on the brink of another
    pandemic.
  • All countries will be affected (3 months from
    outbreak to worldwide prevalence).
  • Widespread illness will occur.
  • Medical supplies will be inadequate.
  • Large numbers of deaths will occur (WHO has used
    a relatively conservative estimate from 2
    million to 7.4 million deaths worldwide, though
    other estimates (e.g., U.S. government) suggest
    death toll in U.S. alone could rise to 2
    million). Massachusetts DPH now estimating 30
    attack rate with 1 mortality rate.
  • Economic and social disruption will be
    substantial.

5
Recent Pandemic Concerns Higher Education
  • Higher Education will be among the industries
    most severely impacted because of risks resulting
    from international travel by students, faculty,
    and staff and with open and accessible campuses
    to the local community at-large.
  • According to the CDC, those most susceptible to
    death from a flu pandemic are those aged between
    15 and 35 and the very oldworkplace absentee
    rates as high as 25 over a 4-9 month period.
  • The impact on college or university operations
    may include unprecedented demands on student
    health services, relocation of students in
    residence halls, the establishment of quarantine
    sites, debilitating sickness among staff and
    faculty causing severe reductions in the work
    force, essential services hampered and perhaps
    unavailable, and significant loss of tuition
    revenues from closure of the institution and
    non-returning students.
  • (Gallagher Higher Education Practice Group,
    January, 2006)

6
Recent Pandemic Concerns Higher Education
  • There will be a 40 workforce reduction over
    several weeks or months due to
  • A high level of illness ( 30).
  • Staff may be reduced by the need for workers to
    attend to family illness or school closures.
  • Staff may be lost due to mortality associated
    with the disease.
  • Congregate living and large group activities
    (classes, sporting events, etc.) place
    individuals at higher risk of exposure.
  • As many as 30 of students will become ill.
  • - Massachusetts Department of Public Health,
    Higher Education Pandemic Planning Group

7
A Mandate to Prepare
  • Failure to have a pandemic response plan may in
    of itself create liability for the institution,
    particularly given the amount of warning and
    guidance offered by governmental officials and
    the encouragement to develop such a
    plan. (Gallagher Higher Education Practice
    Group, January, 2006)
  • U.S. companies must pitch in to help prepare for
    what scientists believe could be a devastating
    influenza pandemic.
  • Avian flu, when it occurs, will severely test
    the best-laid plansand many companies are not
    making any plans at all.
  • We are overdue and ill-prepared. Local
    communities are going to have to take the lead.
    Those expecting the federal government to ride in
    and come to their rescue are going to be sorely
    disappointed. (Mike Leavitt, U.S.
    Health and Human Services Secretary, Feb. 14,
    2006)

8
Fitchburg State College Response
A Fundamental Question
The college as part of the larger city and
regional community.
The college as a specific and unique entity with
corresponding responsibilities.
It is unclear at present the extent to which the
college will be expected or required to make
autonomous decisions. It is further unclear to
what extent the college will be expected to serve
as a critical community resource (such as
vaccination distribution venue) in the event of a
pandemic.
9
Working With the City and Region
  • The college is working in conjunction with local,
    state and federal authorities to participate in
    regional response planning.
  • Meeting convened at Fitchburg State on Jan. 5,
    2006
  • Included Fitchburg Board of Health,
    HealthAlliance hospitals (Burbank, Leominster),
    directors of Emergency Planning for Fitchburg and
    Lunenburg, Fitchburg State College personnel.
  • Health Services staff connected with
    Massachusetts Department of Public Health, CHAND
    (College Health Administrators and Nurse
    Directors), attending trainings, updates, etc.
  • Fitchburg State faculty and administrators
    attended Massachusetts Regional Conference on
    Pandemic Preparedness (Worcester, May 1, 2006)

10
Working With the City and Region
  • May 23, 2006 Fitchburg State hosted a table-top
    exercise intended to improve communication and to
    test emergency response capabilities in event of
    a catastrophic health emergency.
  • Attendees included
  • Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) which
    represents Fitchburg, Lunenburg and Leominster
  • Fitchburg State administrators
  • Fitchburg State police and local law enforcement
  • Local hospital administrators
  • Local emergency response personnel (fire,
    ambulance)
  • Fitchburg Mayor Dan Mylott
  • Massachusetts Emergency Management
    Administration
  • Massachusetts Department of Public Health
  • Representative(s) from the Strategic National
    Stockpile

11
Working With the City and Region
  • Unfortunately, very little of the local, regional
    and state pandemic planning has addressed the
    concerns of higher education thus far.
  • As per Massachusetts Department of Public
    Health
  • your students are low priority in terms of
    healthcare, vaccines
  • we do know that youre therewe probably just
    cant help you.
  • As per Massachusetts Pandemic Plan / U.S.
    Department of Health and Human Services
  • vaccines will be the cornerstone of
    preventionlocal communities should have plans
    for administering vaccines to residents based on
    priority groups
  • As per Strategic National Stockpile
  • we wont be playing a large role in a
    pandemicdo not expect coverage (e.g.,
    antivirals, etc.) for any healthy people
  • As per Massachusetts Emergency Management
    Administration
  • rather than a burden, the colleges should be
    used as a resource

12
Fitchburg State College Response
  • We understand that emergency situations typically
    will have some degree of decision-making and
    response on the fly however, one of the lessons
    from other public emergencies/catastrophes (like
    Hurricane Katrina) is that effective preparation
    leads to improved decision-making (and is now an
    expectation of public agencies).

13
Fitchburg State College Response
  • Fitchburg State on-campus work
  • Campus committee assembled
  • Health Services
  • Dean of Student and Academic Life
  • Facilities
  • Environmental Safety officer
  • Campus Police
  • Campus Living
  • International Education
  • Counseling Services
  • Meetings held in February and March 2006
  • Reviewed Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
    (Deloitte see next slide)

14
Fitchburg State College Response
  • Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist (Deloitte)
  • Develop a preparedness and response plan
  • Plan for the impact on business functioning
  • Plan for the impact on administration/faculty/staf
    f/students
  • Enhance institutional wellness
  • Develop and cultivate partnerships related to
    planning, preparedness, and response

15
Presidents Office/Executive Committee
  • Develop preparedness and response plan
  • Identify pandemic team with defined roles,
    responsibilities within input from
    administrators, faculty, students and labor
    representation
  • Develop and plan for impact on institutional
    activities (such as cancellation of classes,
    public events, sporting activities)
  • Establish an emergency communication plan to
    include chain of command, tracking and
    communication business and employee status.
  • Plan for impact of business functioning
  • Develop capacity plans for institutional
    resources that may be used in community response
  • Develop a recovery plan to deal with pandemic
    consequences/disruptions
  • Plan for impact on administration/faculty/staff/st
    udents
  • Implement guidelines to modify face-to-face
    contact among employees, telecommuting
  • Consider administrative duplication
    (cross-training) for critical functions (payroll,
    etc.)
  • Establish policies for restricting travel to
    affected areas, evacuating employees, guidance
    for returning to work.
  • Considerations related to on-campus housing (such
    as mandatory evacuations, quarantine)
  • Enhance institutional wellness during pandemic
  • Disseminate information to college community
    about preparedness and response
  • Develop and cultivate partnerships related to
    planning

16
Human Resources
  • Plan for impact on business functioning
  • Develop plan to assure continuity of payroll
  • Plan for impact on administration/faculty/staff/st
    udents
  • Identify essential faculty, staff, students,
    administrators needed to maintain business
    operations (may be different from current lists)
  • Forecast and allow for employee absences
  • Establish policies for employee compensation and
    sick-leave absences unique to pandemic, including
    policies of when ill person can return to work
  • Establish policies for flexible work shifts
  • Establish policies for all college employees who
    have been exposed, suspected of being ill, or
    become ill (immediate mandatory sick leave)
  • Identify ADA, FMLA, and other policy implications
    for preparedness

17
Treasurers Office
  • Plan for impact on administration/
    faculty/staff/students
  • Determine potential impact on revenues, costs
    considering tuition loss, reimbursement for
    withdrawals
  • Develop a recovery plan to deal with pandemic
    consequences/disruptions
  • Attempt to identify impact on institutional
    investments

18
Facilities / Planning
  • Plan for impact on business functioning
  • Assure continuity of long-term and strategic
    projects
  • Identify essential inputs required to maintain
    business operations

19
Grant Center
  • Plan for impact of business functioning
  • Identify implications of disruption of service on
    grants

20
Health Services
  • Develop preparedness and response plan
  • Find up-to-date medical information to make
    sustainable links.
  • Plan for impact on administration/ faculty/staff
  • Assist in implementation of guidelines regarding
    face-to-face contact based on CDC guidelines.

21
Information Technology in Conjunction with
Academic Affairs
  • Plan for impact on administration/ faculty/staff
  • Identify alternative learning environments such
    as virtual classrooms
  • Enhance institutional wellness during pandemic
  • Plan communication to decrease fear and anxiety
    through variety of modes (phone trees, Web pages,
    published material).

22
Disability Services
  • Plan for impact on administration/
    faculty/staff/students
  • Identify students, faculty and staff with special
    needs incorporate requirements for these people
    into college plan

23
Fitchburg State College Response
  • Colleges and Universities Pandemic Influenza
    Planning Checklist (Centers for Disease Control
    and Prevention)
  • Planning and coordination
  • Continuity of student learning and operations
  • Infection control policies and procedures
  • Communications planning

24
Fitchburg State College Response
  • Additional / unique considerations beyond those
    discussed in Deloitte document
  • Stockpiling (non-perishable food and equipment)
  • Coordination of plans with BHE guidelines
    (if/when these emerge) ensure consistency with
    existing emergency operation plans
  • Operational plan for surge capacity (additional
    healthcare providers, nursing students)
  • Implementation of infection control policies and
    procedures that may help limit spread of
    influenza on campus
  • Consider incident command training for
    appropriate personnel
  • Ensure Health Services and clinics have
    identified critical supplies to support demand
    surge take steps to procure
  • Develop and test platforms for information
    communication
  • Keep community informed regarding pandemic
    planning

25
  • People have to understand this is not science
    fiction. Pandemics are going to happen. This is
    why a group of infectious disease experts are
    trying to wake the world up, shake them and say,
    Youve got to understand this. Even if the bird
    flu isnt the one that does it, another ones
    going to. Like the people of New Orleans learned,
    this is not the time to panic and feel
    hopelessness. Its the time to be prepared.

- Michael T. Osterholm, Director, Center for
Infectious Disease Research and Policy
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