EmergencyEmergency Response to Response to

Pandemic Pandemic OutbreakOutbreak

Meagan Smith & Charity Meagan Smith & Charity StutzmanStutzman

October 21, 2009CSA 543: Legal & Ethical Issues

Overview and PurposeOverview and Purpose

The workshop will prepare Student Life Directors The workshop will prepare Student Life Directors how to respond to an emergency pandemic outbreak. how to respond to an emergency pandemic outbreak. Participating offices in the workshop are high contact Participating offices in the workshop are high contact in nature and involved in the daily life of students.in nature and involved in the daily life of students.

Given the high level of responsibility these Given the high level of responsibility these positions entail, these professionals need to be positions entail, these professionals need to be prepared to support student health and safety. In prepared to support student health and safety. In addition, these offices must be aware of potential addition, these offices must be aware of potential legal and ethical issues in order to effectively legal and ethical issues in order to effectively respond. To that end, workshop presenters will utilize respond. To that end, workshop presenters will utilize an interactive training approach to provide an interactive training approach to provide participants the opportunity to navigate a number of participants the opportunity to navigate a number of online resources and locate specific information within online resources and locate specific information within them. them.

Partners In EmergencyPartners In EmergencyWho is here?Who is here?

Health ServicesHealth Services

Campus Safety Campus Safety

Residence LifeResidence Life

Food ServicesFood Services

Nice to Meet You!Nice to Meet You!

1. Take an Index Card

2. Ask your neighbor to briefly describe the worst illness

that they’ve ever had

3. Mark your neighbor’s card and have them mark yours

4. Continue to interview other classmates for one minute

5. Follow moderator instructions after first minute has

passed

6. At the moderator’s signal, continue to interview

classmates and exchange marks for an additional

minute

7. Come together for brief discussion

What is a Pandemic?What is a Pandemic? “A widespread outbreak of an infectious disease that is geographically

widespread, occurring throughout a region or even throughout the world.”

Can be any disease (e.g., cholera, smallpox, flu)

Three Conditions Development of new virus subtype Virus infects humans Infection readily passes from one person to another

Pandemics declared by World Health Organization (WHO) based on a Six-Phase Scale

On June 11, 2009, WHO indicated the spread of H1N1 to be a Level Six pandemic

World Health World Health OrganizationOrganization

Phase 5 is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus in at least Phase 5 is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus in at least

two different countriestwo different countries

Phase 6 is characterized by community-level outbreaks in at least two Phase 6 is characterized by community-level outbreaks in at least two

different regionsdifferent regions

Designation of this phase will indicate that a global pandemic is under wayDesignation of this phase will indicate that a global pandemic is under way

Little History LessonLittle History Lesson

The Influenza Pandemic of 1918Three waves in the United StatesThree waves in the United States

Approximately 675,000 Americans died Approximately 675,000 Americans died

(population 105 million)(population 105 million)

Approximately 50 million fatalities worldwideApproximately 50 million fatalities worldwide

Legal and Ethical issues:Legal and Ethical issues:

Public health officials sought to stem the Public health officials sought to stem the

rising panic by censoring newspapers and rising panic by censoring newspapers and

issuing simple directivesissuing simple directives

Posters and cartoons were printed to warn Posters and cartoons were printed to warn

people of the dangers of influenzapeople of the dangers of influenza

Little History LessonLittle History Lesson

Asian Flu Pandemic of 1957Asian Flu Pandemic of 1957 Began in ChinaBegan in China

Vaccines were available by the time flu reached Vaccines were available by the time flu reached

U.S.U.S.

Virus spread quickly once school season beganVirus spread quickly once school season began

Approximately 70,000 Americans diedApproximately 70,000 Americans died

Approximately 2 million fatalities worldwideApproximately 2 million fatalities worldwide

Legal and Ethical Issues:Legal and Ethical Issues:

Researched showed that outbreaks occurred Researched showed that outbreaks occurred

most frequently after large gatheringsmost frequently after large gatherings

Schools some of first sites to report Schools some of first sites to report

outbreaksoutbreaks

Little History LessonLittle History Lesson

Hong Kong Influenza of 1968Hong Kong Influenza of 1968 Began in Southeast AsiaBegan in Southeast Asia

More deadly subtype of Asian FluMore deadly subtype of Asian Flu

Continues to be one of the most Continues to be one of the most

persistent flu strains among humanspersistent flu strains among humans

Legal and Ethical Issues:Legal and Ethical Issues:

Vaccine impact was tested on Air Force Vaccine impact was tested on Air Force

cadets who received immunization for cadets who received immunization for

Hong Kong FluHong Kong Flu

What Does History Tell What Does History Tell Us?Us?

Delayed decision and response puts populations at a greater Delayed decision and response puts populations at a greater riskrisk

Outbreaks spread more quickly among large groups of people Outbreaks spread more quickly among large groups of people living closely togetherliving closely together

Fatigue, poor diet, and high levels of stress weaken the body’s Fatigue, poor diet, and high levels of stress weaken the body’s immune systemimmune system

Young adults are more likely than older adults to contract the Young adults are more likely than older adults to contract the H1N1 virusH1N1 virus

Institutions can be held responsible for the safety and well-Institutions can be held responsible for the safety and well-being of their constituents (e.g., lawsuits for failing to provide being of their constituents (e.g., lawsuits for failing to provide enough vaccines, exposure to infected classmates in schools)enough vaccines, exposure to infected classmates in schools)

Health ServicesHealth Services

Participate in pandemic response planning and practice

Promote health and wellness measures for center staff

Ensure that the center is adequately stocked with supplies and PPE

Maintain sanitary conditions

Create a triage plan and identify outside support resources

Support student life departments with the most current health-related information and policies

Track cases of illness and provide recommendations for response

Campus SafetyCampus Safety

Outline plans for and assist with student transfers (e.g., to and from residence halls, hospitals, student’s home)

Create and enforce investigation protocols, including on-call coverage

Lead inter-departmental emergency response team in the event of a pandemic

Notify the campus community of threats to safety

Provide security of campus privacy and resources in the event of pandemic panic

Identify departments and roles key to ensuring student safety in the event of a pandemic and design a strategy to prioritize and protect those functions

Residence LifeResidence Life

Assist in developing campus pandemic housing policiesAssist in developing campus pandemic housing policies Isolation vs. Quarantine Isolation vs. Quarantine

Pandemic housing arrangementsPandemic housing arrangements

Student travel issuesStudent travel issues

Department staff duties and roles assignmentDepartment staff duties and roles assignment

Paperwork and tracing student illnessPaperwork and tracing student illness

Understand and be able to answer student questions Understand and be able to answer student questions

regarding university pandemic policy and insurance regarding university pandemic policy and insurance

plansplans

Ensure that residence hall is stocked with adequate Ensure that residence hall is stocked with adequate

supplies and communication technologiessupplies and communication technologies

Compile list of external resources for students (e.g., Compile list of external resources for students (e.g.,

doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, taxi service)doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, taxi service)

Post informational fliers about health promotionPost informational fliers about health promotion

Provide all staff with necessary response trainingProvide all staff with necessary response training

Consider the needs of all student populations, including Consider the needs of all student populations, including

students with disabilitiesstudents with disabilities

“OMG, Everyone is going to

die and they are

making us move

buildings!”

Food ServicesFood Services

Design and implement plan to feed quarantined or isolated students

Stock adequate supplies of prepared meals, disposable utensils, and PPE

Maintain sanitary conditions and provide hand-washing opportunities

Prepare for limited and contained delivery arrangements

Offer meal times and menus that accommodate ill students

Scavenger Hunt!Scavenger Hunt! Break into Groups of 5Break into Groups of 5

Find these 4 Items (handout)Find these 4 Items (handout)

Use these websites:Use these websites:

http://www.free.ed.gov/index.cfm

www.nyhealth.gov/diseases/communicable/influenza/pandemic/docs/pandemic_influenza_college_toolkit.pdf

http://www.acha.org/

www.flu.gov

What Do You Think?What Do You Think?

Legal and Ethical Issues to Legal and Ethical Issues to ConsiderConsider

The university can be held liable for The university can be held liable for negligencenegligence

Provide correct and reliable information, Provide correct and reliable information, do not misinform your students!!do not misinform your students!!

Set clear policy for University responseSet clear policy for University response

Stay up to date on current legal and Stay up to date on current legal and ethical newsethical news

Take advantage of all opportunities and Take advantage of all opportunities and resources available to educate studentsresources available to educate students

ResourcesResources Association of College and University Housing Officers - Association of College and University Housing Officers -

InternationalInternationalhttp://www.acuho-i.org/?tabid=125http://www.acuho-i.org/?tabid=125

American College Health Associationhttp://www.acha.org/

The Center for Disease Controlhttp://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol12no01/05-1254.htm://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol12no01/05-1254.htm

Federal Resources for Educational ExcellenceFederal Resources for Educational Excellencehttp://www.free.ed.gov/index.cfmhttp://www.free.ed.gov/index.cfm

Flu.govFlu.govwww.flu.govwww.flu.gov

World Health OrganizationWorld Health Organizationhttp://www.who.int/ethics/influenza_project/en/index.htmlhttp://www.who.int/ethics/influenza_project/en/index.html