University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

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By CHARLOTTE HSU

Published: October 7, 2009

A tiered emergency response plan drafted a few years ago in response to avian flu outbreaks in Asia is providing guidance for UB officials as they monitor the H1N1 virus and work to prevent the spread of infectious diseases on UB’s three campuses.

The plan, created in 2006 and 2007 following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, calls for the university to ramp up actions in three phases as the nationwide percentage of pandemic flu cases resulting in fatalities increases. Level-one responses, taken when the fatality ratio is under 0.1 percent, include communicating with the campus community about precautions to take and cross-training staff so employee absences do not bring departments’ work to a standstill. More extreme level-two and level-three actions, such as canceling classes and quarantining sick individuals, go into effect as the nationwide fatality ratio climbs past 0.1 percent and 1 percent, respectively.

Joseph Raab, director of the Office of Environment, Health and Safety, says that because the plan was crafted to address flu events with high mortality rates, officials are only using the blueprint for guidance at this point in time. The H1N1 “swine” flu has not developed the dangerous qualities that make avian flu so lethal.

Unless the number of people falling ill begins to affect the university’s ability to operate or the H1N1 virus becomes more virulent or deadly, Raab says UB will remain in a state of “heightened awareness,” implementing some, but not all, level-one actions. Should the virus acquire characteristics that enable it to spread more aggressively or kill more people, UB’s prior planning efforts will enable the rapid implementation of additional level-one responses and, if necessary, level-two and level-three responses.

So far, UB officials are aware of only a small number of cases of influenza-like illnesses on campuses—probably instances of swine flu, Raab says. Still, some offices are taking such precautions as cross-training employees and receiving briefings from information technology specialists on how staff can work and access files on UB servers from home.

Other actions UB is taking in response to the H1N1 threat include educating students and employees about simple measures, such as covering a cough, that help prevent the spread of infectious diseases; placing hand sanitizer in common spaces, including dining areas; tracking the number of sick students through Student Health Services and an online reporting tool that enables students to notify the university about their illness; and updating the emergency Web site with news about swine flu.

In line with guidance released by the CDC, UB is encouraging sick employees to take time off work and asking sick students to go home or isolate themselves in their rooms. Provost Satish K. Tripathi has advised faculty members to consider altering absenteeism policies for sick students.

UB’s pandemic flu response plan was developed by dozens of individuals from units across the university’s campuses, ranging from the Provost’s Office to University Police. Click here to access a copy.