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| Home > Information | Information |
SPSU Flu - Pandemic Preparedness and Response Procedures (PDF)
Information about 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus
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Posted August 26, 2009
What is the University’s plan for responding to a health crisis? Where can I get a copy of this plan? What are the major symptoms of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus? What can I do to help prevent getting the flu? How will I know what is happening at SPSU regarding public health issues? What if I discover another source of information that I think is worth sharing? As an SPSU employee, what should I be doing? As a student, will I have any problems continuing my classes? As a faculty member, what should I be doing to plan? What if – heaven forbid – I come down with the swine flu? What about students who live on campus? Where can students go for medical attention? What if I have plans to travel? Where can I get more information? What is the University’s plan for responding to a health crisis? SPSU developed a plan, “Flu – Pandemic Preparedness and Response Procedures,” in 2006, and this plan guides the University’s actions. This plan was approved by the USG Board of Regents in May 2006. The plan has been reviewed carefully, in light of new information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and other public health agencies. This list of Frequently Asked Questions explains how that plan will be implemented. Where can I get a copy of this plan? The flu/pandemic preparedness and response plan is posted on the University’s web site. It can be accessed through the link to “Information about 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus, a.k.a. ‘Swine Flu’” on SPSU’s home page or by following the link below: SPSU's Flu - Pandemic Preparedness and Response Procedures What are the major symptoms of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus? A recommended resource that describes the symptoms is the website for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (http://www.pandemicflu.gov/faq/swineflu/04.html). What can I do to help prevent getting the flu? Flu.gov recommends the following actions:
How will I know what is happening at SPSU regarding public health issues? E-mail will be the official mode of communication about issues that affect the University community. The University’s website will also have current information posted. The President or her designee will communicate with the University community.? The Dean of Students or his designee will communicate with students. ?The Dean of Students or his designee will communicate with parents of students.? The Director of Public Relations will communicate with the media. The Chief of Police or his designee will communicate with the Office of Public Safety at the University System of Georgia. All communications with the various constituencies, except for those between the Police Chief and the USG Office of Public Safety, will be approved by the President or her designee prior to transmission. Some external websites have good information about the situation. Members of the SPSU community are asked to use caution in following links embedded in unsolicited e-mails about the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus; cases of phishing and other scams have been reported at other campuses. One-stop access to U.S. Government H1N1, avian, and pandemic flu information is available at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services site (www.flu.gov). Reliable information is also available on other authoritative sites, such as those for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov), the World Health Organization (www.who.int/en), and Cobb & Douglas Public Health Department (www.cobbanddouglaspublichealth.org). What if I discover another source of information that I think is worth sharing? Please share information with Mr. Jim Cooper, who is SPSU’s designated Flu and Pandemic Coordinator. He is responsible for coordinating the information flow about the situation and providing information to the University. He can be contacted at jcooper@spsu.edu or 678.916.4986. As an SPSU employee, what should I be doing? If you are healthy, you should come to work. SPSU is open for business, and all faculty and staff who are in good health are expected to report for work and carry out their normal duties. If this changes, the information will be shared via e-mail and on the SPSU website. Anyone in the University community who is ill, especially with respiratory symptoms or a fever, should stay home. The University’s standard leave policies apply. As a student, will I have any problems continuing my classes? SPSU is open for business. If the University is forced to shut down regular operations due to a pandemic, class offerings will shift to either an on-line format or other alternative methods. Faculty members will contact the students enrolled in their classes about what will be done in their particular course. As a faculty member, what should I be doing to plan ahead? If the University is forced to shut down regular operations due to a pandemic, class offerings will shift to either an on-line format or other alternative methods. In the event of an interruption of service, a short-course for faculty on how to teach on-line will be offered for faculty who wish to plan ahead for this option. A draft plan for how the University would implement the transiton from “live” to on-line instruction has been circulated by the Office of Academic Affairs. Faculty should consult with their department chair for more details. What if – heaven forbid – I come down with the swine flu? You need to stay home, take care of yourself, and do everything possible to avoid infecting others. You need to see your primary health care provider if you recently traveled to an area that had documented cases of the 2009 H1N1 flu virus. Information about these areas is available at flu.gov (http://www.flu.gov/whereyoulive/index.html). Any SPSU employee who has to miss work because of illness should notify his or her supervisor. If the cause of the illness is a confirmed or suspected case of the 2009 H1N1 flu virus, the employee should notify the supervisor about this, too. The supervisor will notify the Office of Human Resources, so that the University can maximize the protection of others in the University community. Students who are diagnosed with the H1N1 virus should notify Mr. Barry Birckhead, Dean of Students, at 678.915.4102. Dean Birckhead can assist with notifying the faculty members in whose courses the student is enrolled. What about students who live on campus? According to current plans, campus housing will remain open, even if the University changes how classes are being taught or the campus closes for a period of time. Students who live on campus will continue to have a place to live. Students are encouraged to give extra consideration to cleanliness in their rooms and apartments, for their own health and that of others. If a student who lives on campus is diagnosed with the H1N1 virus, the Housing Office will help make arrangements for the ill students to have a separate space. Where can students go for medical attention? SPSU students may visit the on-campus nurse, Ms. Julie Scala, with questions about the H1N1 virus or symptoms they are experiencing. She can be found in the Recreation and Wellness Center. If further treatment or testing is necessary, students may visit their primary care physician or they will be referred to the WellStar Urgent Care Center. What if I have plans to travel? Currently, the World Health Organization advises no restrictions on travel, and SPSU does not have any travel restrictions. If the situation changes and it becomes necessary, the University will establish a travel restriction policy; this will be posted on the website. Where can I get more information? General information is available on a number of reputable websites. The links to some of these are included above and on the University’s website. Specific questions about Southern Polytechnic can be addressed to Jim Cooper, SPSU’s designated Flu and Pandemic Coordinator, at ext. 4986 (678.915.4986) or jcooper@spsu.edu. This page was last updated on August 26, 2009.
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