Pandemic Flu/Communicable Disease Response and Recovery Plan
Level One - Suspected/Confirmed Cases of Human-to-Human Transmission of Any Pandemic Type Flu or Communicable Disease (i.e., plague, cholera, etc.) in Idaho or Western States
- Public Safety will contact all necessary members of President’s Executive Group and the Incident Command Team (see Chapter 3) and convene them for a meeting.
- The Director of Student Health will coordinate with the Southeast District Health Department to determine an appropriate University response and will be responsible for notifying/educating the President’s Executive Group and the Incident Command Team regarding the latest information.
- The Incident Commander will be responsible for coordinating the implementation of the following roles:
A. Student Health Center will be responsible for:
- Increased disease surveillance according to CDC and State Health Directives in the following areas:
- Student Health Center
- Office of International Admissions
- Athletics
- Housing
- Identification of and care for cases per CDC Directive (http://www.cdc.gov)
- Ordering more Personal Protective Equipment or PPE (i.e., gloves, masks, etc.).
- Confirm network for obtaining antiviral medications and vaccines.
- Obtain appropriate standing orders.
- Set up different traffic flow in the Student Health Center.
- Obtain current information on pandemic type flu or communicable disease that is occurring and work with the University Relations to put out informative and preventive information to the University Community.
- Work with appropriate University personnel to prepare for possible isolation and quarantine.
- Isolation is used for a person suspected or diagnosed with the disease. The person should be in isolation in the hospital or at their own home. A place to isolate a person here on campus is needed if we have an on-campus resident who was unable to be immediately transported home.
- Quarantine will be used for healthy persons who have been exposed to the suspected or diagnosed case.
- The person(s) should be kept in a place where they have no contact with others for the duration of the incubation period. If no symptoms develop in that time frame they may be taken out of quarantine. If a person develops symptoms they are to be moved to isolation.
- Provide training for appropriate University Personnel (i.e., Public Safety, Housing, Physical Plant, etc.) on pandemic type flu or communicable disease that is occurring.
- The Director of Student Health will serve as liaison between the Southeast District Health Department and the Incident Commander.
- Prepare a Mental Health Plan.
B. Public Safety:
- Have personnel receive updated information on pandemic type flu or communicable disease that is occurring..
- Have essential personnel be fit tested for N95 respirators.
- Obtain and learn how to use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment.
- Prepare appropriate signage for isolation or quarantine.
- Consider a transportation plan.
C. Facilities Services:
- Work with Housing and Technical Safety to identify needed ventilation systems and to provide negative pressure areas.
- Have essential personnel be fit tested for N95
respirators.
D. Technical Safety:
- Assess respiratory protection plan and resources.
- Do fit testing for essential personnel.
- Prepare for additional hazardous material cleanup.
E. University Relations:
- Work with President’s Office, Incident Commander, Director of Student Health, Tech Safety to draft internal and external bulletins and announcements for all target populations (students, faculty/staff, parents, etc.)
- Assist with the production of signs for isolation and
quarantine.
F. Office of Student Affairs:
- Coordinate communication to students and parents.
- Coordinate implementation of the isolation, quarantine.
- Work with Chartwells, Housing and Public Safety.
- Deal with enforcement issues.
- Parent issues.
G. Human Resources:
- Work with Incident Commander, Logistic Section of Incident Command Team, President’s Office, to create a list of mandatory employees, and a plan to pay, food and house them as necessary.
- Maintain a list of all employees and their current contact information.
- Have a system to account for absences.
- Work with Finance & Administration to ensure the continuation of compensation and health benefits for all employees, whether able to work or not (subject to available accrued paid leave).
- Coordinate and help with communication between faculty/staff, supervisors, managers, etc.
- Have a means to provide support and benefit information to employees’ families other than face-to-face.
- Coordinate legal matters with General Counsel.
- Coordinate enforcement issues with Public Safety.
H. President’s Office:
- Based on recommendations from U.S. State Department, CDC, and the Southeast District Health Department be prepared to modify athletic events, exchange programs and University related travel to and from other countries, class schedules, etc.
I. University Housing:
- Enact planning for isolation and quarantine of students.
- Student Health Center/Tech Safety will train essential personnel on risks and response.
- Fit test essential personnel.
- Order appropriate Personal Protective Equipment.
- Identify potential rooms and/or buildings to be used for quarantined students. Update by semester based on current occupancy.
- Notify current occupants in spaces that will be needed
of the potential or need for them to move.
J. Food Services(Director of Student Union):
- Ensure emergency response menu is planned for various degrees of need.
- Stockpile additional food stuffs and water.
- Ensure food delivery process is planned and delivery supplies are on hand.
- Have essential personnel receive fit test and training
on respiratory protection from Technical
Safety.
K. Deans and Directors:
- Have an alternate plan for personnel in case the designated personnel are unable to work (due to illness or family illness).
- Coordinate alternate worksite locations and teleworking, as necessary. Ensure IT resources are available for students, faculty and staff to do this.
- Have a system in place to train temporary workers.
- Have essential personnel receive fit test and training
on respiratory protection from Technical Safety.
Level Two - There is a suspected case on campus or suspected/confirmed cases in Southeast Idaho
- Student Health Center will be responsible for notifying/educating the President’s Executive Group and the Incident Command Team.
- The President's Executive Group and the Incident Command Team will convene and be provided the latest information on pandemic type flu or communicable disease that is occurring.
- The Incident
Commander will be responsible for coordinating the
implementation of the following roles:
A. The Student Health Center:
- Notify the Southeast District Health Department.
- Notify the Incident Command Team.
- Notify Housing and Food Services on number of persons who may be required to be isolated or quarantined.
- Monitor persons in quarantine.
- Ongoing communications with campus community regarding signs/symptoms, protocol for referral of suspected cases.
- Initiate poster, e-mail campaign on self-protection.
- Preparation for prophylactic treatment of contacts.
- Implementation of mental health plan.
- Assist Housing staff in how to deal with needs of
persons in quarantine.
B. Public Safety:
- Have personnel receive updated information on pandemic type flu or communicable disease that is occurring.
- Review use of Personal Protective Equipment and respiratory protection.
- Place signage for isolation, quarantine.
- Enforce isolation, quarantine.
- Implement policy on transporting individuals to the
hospital.
C. Facilities Services:
- Work with Housing and Technical Safety/Student Health to identify needed ventilation systems and to provide negative pressure areas.
- Have essential personnel be fit tested for N95
respirators.
D. Technical Safety:
- Assess respiratory protection plan and resources.
- Do fit testing for essential personnel.
- Prepare for additional hazardous material cleanup.
- Inform essential janitorial personnel of their risk when
cleaning Student Health, etc.
E. University Relations:
- Work with the President’s Office, Incident Commander, Technical Safety, Student Health to draft internal and external bulletins and announcements for all target populations (students, faculty/staff, parents).
- Handle media coverage.
- Assist with information to families.
F. Office of Student Affairs:
- Coordinate communication to students and parents.
- Possible implementation of call center.
- Coordinate implementation of the isolation, quarantine.
- Work with Food Services, Housing staff, Public Safety.
- Deal with enforcement issues.
- Parent issues.
- Handle parent calls, those wanting to come to campus.
G. Human Resources:
- Work with Incident Commander, Logistic Section of Incident Command Team, President’s Office, to create a list of mandatory employees, and a plan to pay, food and house them as necessary.
- Maintain a list of all employees and their current contact information.
- Have a system to account for absences.
- Work with Finance & Administration to ensure the continuation of compensation and health benefits for all employees, whether able to work or not (subject to available accrued paid leave).
- Coordinate and help with communication between faculty/staff, supervisors, managers, etc.
- Have a means to provide support and benefit information to employees’ families other than face-to-face.
- Coordinate legal matters with General Counsel.
- Coordinate enforcement issues with Public Safety.
H. President’s Office:
- Based on recommendations from U.S. State Department, CDC, Southeast Idaho Health Department be prepared to modify:
- Athletic and other University events
- Exchange programs and University related travel to and from other countries
- Class Schedules
I. Housing:
- Implement plan for isolation and quarantine. Prepare staff for how to deal with needs of persons in quarantine.
- Bring together essential staff for information update on pandemic type flu or communicable disease that is occurring (include maintenance and janitorial staff).
- Review use of Personal Protective Equipment and N95 respirators.
- Work with telephone control center.
- Report any possible cases to Public Safety and/or Technical Safety.
- Work with food services on the delivery of food.
J. Food Services (Director of Student Union):
- Ensure emergency response menu is planned for various degrees of need.
- Stockpile additional food stuffs and water.
- Ensure food delivery process is planned and delivery supplies are on hand.
- Have essential personnel receive fit test and training
on respiratory protection from Technical Safety.
K. Deans and Directors:
- Have an alternate plan for personnel in case the designated personnel are unable to work (due to illness or family illness).
- Coordinate alternate worksite locations and teleworking, as necessary. Ensure IT resources are available for students, faculty and staff to do this.
- Have a system in place to train temporary workers.
- Have essential personnel receive fit test and training
on respiratory protection from Technical Safety.
Level Three - Confirmed Cases On Campus (Only essential personnel required to report to campus)
- The President’s Executive Group and the Incident Command Team will convene and be provided the latest information on pandemic type flu or communicable disease that is occurring.
- Student Health Center will be responsible for notifying/educating the President’s Executive Group and the Incident Command Team.
- The Incident
Commander will be responsible for coordinating the
implementation of the following roles:
A. Student Health Center:
- Notify the Southeast District Health Department (http://www2.state.id.us/phd6/).
- All direction on how to proceed will be received from the Southeast District Health Department.
- The Director of Student Health will serve as liaison between the Southeast District Health Department and the Incident Commander.
- Notify the Campus Incident Command Team.
- Notify Housing and Food Services on number of persons who may be required to be isolated or quarantined.
- Prophylactic treatment of contacts.
- Continue with use of Personal Protective Equipment. Essential personnel receive N95 respirators.
- Monitor person(s) in quarantine.
- Care for person(s) in isolation.
- Ongoing communications with campus community regarding signs/symptoms, protocol for referral or suspected cases.
- Continuation of e-mail campaign on self-protection.
- Implementation of mental health plan.
B. Public Safety:
- Have personnel receive updated information on pandemic type flu or communicable disease that is occurring.
- Essential personnel will receive N95 respirators.
- Secure buildings and place signage for isolation, quarantine.
- Enforce isolation, quarantine.
- Implement policy on transporting individuals to the
hospital.
C. Facilities Services:
- Work with Housing and Student Health/Technical Safety to identify needed ventilation systems and to provide negative pressure areas.
- Essential personnel will receive N95 respirators.
- Stand by to shut off utilities as directed by Incident
Commander.
D. Technical Safety:
- Assist the Student Health Center.
- Distribute N95 respirators to essential personnel.
- Coordinate disposal of hazardous material cleanup.
- Work with janitorial staff to implement appropriate
cleaning measures.
E. University Relations:
- Work with President’s Office, Incident Commander, Director of Student Health, Tech Safety to draft internal and external bulletins and announcements for all target populations (students, faculty/staff, parents, etc.).
- Handle media coverage.
- Assist with information to families.
F. Office of Student Affairs:
- Coordinate communication to students and parents.
- Possible implementation of call center?
- Coordinate implementation of the isolation, quarantine.
- Work with Food Services, Housing and Public Safety.
- Deal with enforcement issues.
- Parent issues.
- Handle parent calls, those wanting to come to campus.
G. Human Resources:
- Work with Incident Commander, Logistic Section of Incident Command Team, President’s Office, to create a list of mandatory employees, and a plan to pay, food and house them as necessary.
- Maintain a list of all employees and their current contact information.
- Have a system to account for absences.
- Work with Finance & Administration to ensure the continuation of compensation and health benefits for all employees, whether able to work or not (subject to available accrued paid leave).
- Coordinate and help with communication between faculty/staff, supervisors, managers, etc.
- Have a means to provide support and benefit information to employees’ families other than face-to-face.
- Coordinate legal matters with General Counsel.
- Coordinate enforcement issues with Public Safety.
H. President’s Office:
- Based on recommendations from the U.S. State Department, CDC, and the Southeast District Health Department be prepared to modify or suspend:
- Athletic and other University events
- Classes
- Assist Dean of Student’s Office with student and parent issues.
- Provide assistance in supporting University Offices in
dealing with issues as they pertain to faculty and staff.
I. Housing:
- Implement plan for isolation and quarantine as directed by the Southeast Idaho District Health Department.
- Coordinate removal of non-contact students if directed by the Southeast Idaho District Health Department.
- Essential personnel will receive N95 respirators.Work with telephone control center.
- Report any possible cases to Student Health/Technical Safety.
- Work with Food Services on the delivery of food.
J. Food Services (Director of Student Union):
- Ensure emergency response menu is planned for various degrees of need.
- Stockpile additional food stuffs and water.
- Ensure food delivery process is planned and supplies are on hand.
- Essential personnel will receive N95 respirators.
K. Deans and Directors:
- Have an alternate plan for personnel in case the designated personnel are unable to work (due to illness or family illness).
- Coordinate alternate worksite locations and teleworking, as necessary. Ensure IT resources are available for students, faculty and staff to do this.
- Have a system in place to train temporary workers.
- Have essential personnel receive fit test and training
on respiratory protection from Technical Safety.
Infection Control and Health/Safety Precautions For Handling Dead Birds
These guidelines are intended for any person handling dead birds. The risk of infection with West Nile Virus (WNV) from this type of contact is small. The risk of infection with H5N1 (any pandemic type flu or communicable disease) from handling dead birds is difficult to quantify and is likely to vary with each situation. Risk is related to the nature of the work environment, the number of birds to be collected, and the potential for aerosolization of bird feces, body fluids, or other tissues. The most important factor that will influence the degree of infection risk from handling wild birds is whether any pandemic type flu or communicable disease has been reported in the area. Local public health officials will be consulted to help in selecting the most appropriate PPE for the situation (see Sections 10.4.1 and 10.4.2 below).
When the carcass of a dead bird is found on campus, call Public Safety to respond. Public Safety Dispatch will contact Animal Control. If Animal Control cannot be contacted or cannot respond, then Public Safety will contact Grounds. If for some reason Grounds cannot be contacted or cannot respond, then Public Safety will remove the dead bird following these general precautions.
If possible, before disposing of any dead bird, you need to consult with the local Fish & Game to inquire whether dead bird reports are being tallied and if the dead bird in question might be a candidate for WNV or any pandemic type flu or communicable disease testing. If the dead bird has been dead under 24 hours, Fish & Game will do testing if someone brings the bird to them. If the bird has been dead for longer than 24 hours, it needs to be disposed of. In both cases, Animal Control will pick up the dead birds, depending on how busy their officers are.
General Precautions for Collection of Single Dead Birds
These precautions are applicable to all ISU employees as well as the general public. When collecting dead birds, the risk of infection from WNV, any pandemic type flu or communicable disease or any other pathogen may be eliminated by avoiding contamination of mucous membranes, eyes, and skin by material from birds. This can be accomplished by eliminating any direct contact with dead birds with use of the following safety precautions:
- When picking up any dead bird, wear disposable impermeable gloves and protective eyewear, and place the dead bird directly into a plastic bag. Gloves will be changed or not used if torn or otherwise damaged. If gloves are not available, use an inverted double plastic bag technique for picking up carcasses or use a shovel to scoop up the carcass into a plastic bag.
- For situations in which the bird carcass is in a wet environment or in other situations in which splashing or aerosolization of viral particles is likely to occur during disposal, safety goggles or glasses and a surgical mask will be worn to protect mucous membranes against splashed droplets or particles.
- Bird carcasses will be double bagged and placed in a trash receptacle that is secured from access by children and animals. If the carcass is to be submitted for testing, hold it in a cool location until pickup by or delivery to the appropriate authorities. Carcasses should not be held in close contact with food (e.g., not in a household refrigerator or picnic cooler).
- After handling any dead bird, avoid touching the face with gloved or unwashed hands.
- Any PPE that was used (e.g., gloves, safety glasses, mask) will be discarded or disinfected, and hands will then be washed with soap and water. Use an alcohol-based hand gel when soap and water are not available (see the CDC Clean Hands Campaign website).
- If possible, before disposing of any dead bird, you need to consult with the local animal control, health district office, wildlife or agricultural agency, or other such entity to inquire whether dead bird reports are being tallied and if the dead bird in question might be a candidate for WNV or any pandemic type flu or communicable disease testing.
Additional Precautions for Personnel Tasked With Collecting Dead Birds in Higher-Risk Settings
(e.g., when collecting large numbers or in confined indoor spaces, particularly once any pandemic type flu or communicable disease has been confirmed on or around campus)
- Minimize any work activities that generate airborne particles. For example, during the cleanup phase of the bird removal, Do Not washing surfaces with pressurized water or cleaner (i.e., pressure washing) which could theoretically aerosolize any pandemic type flu or communicable disease viral particles that could then be inhaled. The use of PPE (i.e., a filtering face-piece respirator (N95), coveralls, gloves, show covers and protective eyewear) will be authorized, particularly while repeatedly handling large quantities of dead birds as part of a regular work assignment.
- If using safety glasses, a mask, or a respirator, do not remove any of these items until after gloves have been removed and hands washed with soap and water. Use an alcohol-based hand gel when soap and water are not available. After PPE has been removed, hands will immediately be cleaned again. Personal Protective Equipment worn (e.g., gloves, mask or clothing) will be disinfected or discarded.
- Appropriate bio-safety practices and PPE use are available from Technical Safety.
Recommendations for PPE Disinfection
For machine-washable reusable PPE: Disinfect PPE in a washing
machine with detergent in a normal wash cycle. Adding bleach
will increase the speed of viral inactivation as will hot
water, but detergent alone in cold water is also effective.
Follow manufacturer instructions for drying the PPE.
Non machine-washable reusable PPE should be cleaned following the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning.
Related Links
Southeastern District
Health Department
Centers For Disease Control
Last Modified:06/25/12 at 11:24:49 AM