UO distributes hand sanitizer to all instructional faculty

Last updated on 03/04/2020

In 2009. The response of former SVP Russ Tomlin to the 2009 swine flu is below. I don’t know why our Chief Resiliency Officer has not done this yet for the coronavirus. You’d think he’d have buckets of basics like this stashed away, along with crowbars for extricating faculty from the ruins of PLC after the big one. But maybe the Ducks spent all the Resiliency money insuring against football concussion lawsuits.

From: [email protected]

Subject: uotenured: H1N1 Pandemic Preparations

Date: September 14, 2009 at 11:08:32 AM PDT

Reply-To: [email protected]

MEMORANDUM
September 14, 2009

TO: All instructional faculty
FROM: Russ Tomlin, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
SUBJECT: The H1N1 Flu Pandemic


WHAT WE CAN DO AS FACULTY TO MINIMIZE H1N1 IMPACT ON THE UO

At the beginning of the school year most of us have much more to do than worry about H1N1 (the so-called “swine flu”), but alas we need to prepare for it. Please read and engage with the following important information, presented in two sections: (1) the nature of the H1N1 pandemic and its likely impact on Oregon, Eugene, and the UO, and (2) the importance and practice of influenza prevention behaviors, including social distancing and attendance policies, as critical tools to minimize the impact of H1N1 on our students, our colleagues, and our families. As members of the faculty, you play an important role in reducing the extent of infection and illness here and, for that matter, at home. More can be found on the general UO H1N1 site: http://em.uoregon.edu/info/h1n1.

(1) H1N1: Brief summary of what we expect for Oregon, Eugene, and the UO.
The UO has a more detailed discussion of the H1N1 virus, its behavior, and its likely effect on Oregon, Eugene-Springfield, and the UO here: http://em.uoregon.edu/info/h1n1. Still, there are five points to emphasize:

    1. Even though in most cases, the H1N1 flu is similar in symptoms and severity to more common seasonal flu, its impact, if no measures are taken, will be extensive and disruptive to the instructional and research mission of the UO. The easiest way for our community to ensure H1N1 results in a disruptive impact on us is to do nothing and to assume or conclude it is just another seasonal flu.

    2. Overall rates of illness, hospitalization, and death due to H1N1 influenza will exceed those occurring during seasonal influenza outbreaks. Young adults (ages 18-24) will continue to be at high risk of infection with novel H1N1 influenza and will likely experience higher rates of complications if illness is widespread. This means that our students living in University residence halls and other large group living situations will be at risk for infection rates exceeding those in the general community.

    3. With the start of the K-12 school year in early September pandemic influenza activity will increase and expand rapidly within the Eugene/Springfield community over a period of several weeks. Infection rates will likely reach 20% in the Eugene/Springfield community and may exceed 30% in K-12 schools. Influenza-related absences among UO students and staff may approach 40% at the peak of the pandemic wave. A second wave will likely last for 8-10 weeks in the Eugene/Springfield community. Other waves may follow separated by weeks or months.

    4. The novel H1N1 vaccine will not be available at the start of the UO academic year. Novel H1N1 vaccine will be available in limited amounts by mid-October and likely available to all by late December. Priority vaccine recipients based on Center for Disease Control recommendations include: pregnant women, household contacts and caregivers for children under 6 months of age, everyone 6 months through 24 years old, persons 25 through 64 years old with health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza. Because we cannot rely on vaccination, we must take other kinds of preventative and mitigating actions.

    5. The incubation period for the H1N1 flu will average 2-4 days. Infected persons can transmit the infection to others one day prior to the onset of symptoms and for up to 7 days after symptom onset. Our plans and actions as responsible colleagues must take this into account. If you have flu or flu-like illness, you should stay home for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit) or signs of fever (chills, feeling very warm, flushed appearance or sweating).

(2) We must take influenza prevention behaviors and social distancing actions together.

We already “know” that flu prevention steps include hand washing and cough covering. That’s fine, but it’s really not enough. This pandemic requires a level of attention and deliberate action that is unusual and exceptional, not part of our usual academic cultural practice of work, work, work, without regard for our own health or, worse, the health of colleagues and others near us. If we behave as usual, we will ensure optimum success for H1N1 at our own expense. We must practice deliberate efforts at social distancing, separating ourselves from others, especially where we have encountered risk or likelihood of infection. The one pattern of behavior each of us can control is our own, and the steps and practices listed below are the ones I will follow and encourage my colleagues in Academic Affairs to follow.

    1. Avoid infection by avoiding or killing H1N1. H1N1 survives for several hours on surfaces. Touching that surface and then one’s eyes, mouth, or nose transmits the virus to its favored destination.
      a. Use hand sanitizer liberally and frequently to kill the H1N1 you pick up (or might deposit). A sample has been provided; we hope you’ll put it on your desk and use it.
      b. Set up an office or lavatory hand sanitizer station. Ours is operational as you read this.
      c. Allow doors to stand ajar during the day – office doors, etc. (though not fire doors).

    2. Avoid bringing the infection to others. This one is difficult because we may not know we’re infected and the pervasive cultural sense of responsibility to our students and our colleagues makes it very difficult to stay away.
      a. If you get the flu, do not return to work for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medication.
      b. If someone in your household gets the flu, please practice unusual vigilance and social distancing courtesy while you come to work.
      c. Do not bring a sick child to campus. Stay home to take care of your child. The rest of us will back you up, and your sick leave benefit supports you as well.
      d. If you feel symptoms develop, stay home until you know you are not ill.
      e. If one person in the department becomes ill, take greater care to create distance among the remainder. Delay or cancel less essential meetings. Sit at least six feet apart when they cannot be avoided.
      f. Roommates, household members, or those caring for an ill person should follow guidance developed for caring for sick persons at home. (See Interim Guidance for H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu): Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home).

    3. Reduce infection risks in classroom settings. [Remember, we’re talking about the fall term only].
      a. Consider suspending or modifying mandatory attendance policies so that students can practice self-care with less risk of penalty and less pressure on what will be an already stressed Health Center. Please note that the University Health Center will not be issuing excuses for students who miss class this fall due to illness.
      b. Encourage use of distance (six feet is the standard) between students in classes, studios, labs, and other collaborative activities.
      c. Consider foregoing projects and activities that require sitting or working together in close proximity. Don’t penalize students who choose to opt out of such proximate activities.


Check the Office of Emergency Management website frequently for novel H1N1 influenza information (http://em.uoregon.edu//info/h1n1/) and related informational links.