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

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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.
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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
  

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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.

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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)

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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

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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)

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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.
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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)

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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
  

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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
  

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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).

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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)

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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
  

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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
  

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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

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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

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Facilities / Planning

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

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Grant Center

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

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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.

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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

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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

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• 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