TTX Infectious Disease Outbreak

• Provide Participants with an opportunity to review response concepts, plans, and capabilities.
• Identify ways to enhance our preparedness for emergencies.

When: TBD (Program begins promptly at 8:30am, on [insert date])

Where: TBS (insert meeting location)

8:15am: Bagels, Cream Cheese, Coffee will be provided in the morning - Please be seated with your refreshments and ready to begin by 8:30am.

12noon: Lunch will be provided as well, as the discussion will continue into the lunch hour.

  8:15am – Refreshments (15 min)

  8:30am – Orientation/Instructions (15 min)

  8:45am – Module 1a Human-to-Human Transmission and First U.S. Cases (30 min)

  9:15am – Module 1b First Case Presentations on Campus and in Region (30 min)

  9:45am – Module 1c Spread throughut the Campus Community (30min)

10:15am – 15 Minute Break (15 min)

10:30am – Module 2a Taking Stock and Looking Ahead   (30 min)

11:00am – Module 2b International Student Issues at UB   (30 min)

11:30am - Module 2c Research Controversy (30 min)

12:00pm – Lunch & Lessons Learned (60 min)

• Planning
• Communications
• Emergency Information and Warning

• Identify strengths and areas for improvement in our university communications plans for maintaining continuity of operations or reconstituting operations under conditions of an infectious disease outbreak.
• Examine processes and tools for our university to share information, both internally and with external partners, to ensure timely and appropriate information reaches those who must act upon it.
• Assess capabilities to develop timely and appropriate messages for university stakeholder communities (e.g. directly affected students, faculty and staff; family members; and the surrounding community)

The exercise is based on a developing scenario. - After reviewing the developing scenario in each module, players will discuss the corresponding prompts, and detail any actions to be taken. 

Each module begins with a brief update that summarizes the key events.  Participants will review the situation and discuss appropriate response issues.

During this exercise, the following apply:

• The scenario is plausible and events occur as they are presented
  • The novel H7N9 influenza virus descibed in the scenario is fictitious.
  • University administration; The Federal Government; tribal, state and local governments; and the World Health Organization respond to the widespread illness and death in accordinance with established plans and protocols.  This response is not described in detail in the scenario, allowing for a focus on our university's communications capabilities, decisions and actions.  Actions and recommendations attributed to university administration and non-university entities in the scenario are plausable but may not reflect actual response.
  • In the scenario, China is the source of the novel H7N9 influenza pandemic.
• There is no “hidden agenda.” There are no trick questions.
• All players receive information at the same time.
• When possible, discussions and decision-making should be informed first by plans, policies, and procedures that are already in place. If this presents an obstacle, the group should discuss and revise decision-making and come to consensus where possible.  

Due to time constraints, groups are not expected to be able to work through this entire exercise. However, the following guidelines may be helpful:

• This is a no-fault exercise designed to  explore policies, decisions, actions, and relevant issues. Participants will respect each others’ observations, opinions, and perspectives.
• Responses should be based on your knowledge of current plans and capabilities
• Make suggestions and recommended actions that could improve response and preparedness efforts. Problem-solving efforts are the primary goal.
• Keep the time constraints in mind and comments focused, where possible.

[insert list of participants]