H1N1 Flu Precautions for Your Organization

Please take even 30-60 minutes with key staff to discuss the HHS checklist for faith and community organizations to determine how you can continue your services while minimizing risk to your staff, volunteers and clients. The checklist can be accessed at http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/community/faithcomchecklist.html.

Some highlights and additions from the HHS checklist below:

• Determine the potential impact of a pandemic on your organization’s usual activities and services and understand you may have to provide some services differently. For example, how can you still serve your clients/members without bringing a lot of people into your facility? (Red Cross is planning that we may not want to have our volunteers come into our call center during a pandemic, but to staff this from home.) Keep in mind we are not at this stage yet, and there is no cause to abandon normal operations at this time, but we are recommending you take this opportunity to set policy for alternate operations.

• Are there certain activities and services that may facilitate virus spread from person to person that may need to be modified?

• Communicate with and educate your staff, members, clients, and volunteers to stem the virus’s spread. Ensure that what you communicate is appropriate for the cultures, languages and reading levels of your staff, members, and clients.

• Plan for staff absences (due to illness, school/transportation closures, etc):

• What services can you continue to deliver with minimal staffing?

• Who will decide when this will commence and when full services will be restored? (And who is the backup decision-maker?)

• Which staff is needed on-site?

• Can staff work remotely and what tools do they need to do this effectively? (e.g. remote email access, forwarding office phones to cell phones, remote access to shared servers (VPN), mechanisms for reporting/delivering work product)?

• Consider resources to protect your staff such as tissues and hand sanitizer. Also determine resources you may want to have pre-staged in case only essential personnel can come to work.

San Francisco Emergency Operations Center Conference Call Notes, May 1, 2009

Call I
11:00 call (private sector)

Q: When should someone go to the doctor? I’m sick, kid sick, etc…
A: when you would normally go to the doctor. Don’t go to Doctor if you are not sick. Please practice good judgment. If you are sick, you should probably stay home. Same for child – if you want to stay home with your child then do so until you see your child is getting better – but that is your decision.

Q: Should I come to work if my child is sick, or should I wait until my child receives a clean bill of health?
A: Same as above: but know, you will not be tested for H1N1 if your doctor does not think you have that. So, you may not necessarily be able to receive something that states that you took a test and received a negative result.

Q: Average duration of illness (here and in Mexico)?

No Answer at this time

Q: When are we most contagious?

A: CDC says, people are most infectious one day prior to onset of symptoms until 7 days after.

Q: If we have a case at work.. guidance please.
A: This needs to come from your Senior Management and should be in your emergency operating plans AKA (COOP) Continuity of Operations Plans. All cases of H1N1 are reported to the DPH (Dept. of Public Health) and DPH will contact your business and work with you.

Q: What to do if someone shows signs of illness?
A: Practice good judgment. DPH is saying that this is a “mild flu.” However, try to not infect others. Stay home and keep well. If your symptoms persist then go see your doctor.

Q: Protocols if someone in my workplace tests positive?
A: This needs to come from your Senior Management and should be in your emergency operating plans or COOP plans. All cases of H1N1 are reported to the DPH and DPH will contact your business and work with you.

Q: Are you looking to be consistent with the CDC?
A: We are separate agencies but do communicate and work with each other.

Q: Will treatment be used as a vaccination – Will more of the antiviral be made available to the public? How many are available now?
A: If you are diagnosed with H1N1, you will receive the required treatment. Right now we have enough. RE: will it be used as a vaccine? A: it is being looked in to.

End of call I

Call II
1:00 pm call (CBO/FBOs)
Q: Is there a site we can refer to?
A: Yes! Visit www.sfcdcp.org or www.dph.org . You can also call: 888.865.0564. Representatives will be able to assist you (multilingual)

Q: Let’s say our school closes.. what are next steps e.g. pay for staff and safety.
A: These policies need to come from within your organization.

Q: JCC - Is it recommended that we send a letter out to our clients?
A: Sure, why not? Tell them of the precautions you are taking or share with them basic information you can pull from various sites.

Q: If there is closure - what are the steps we are going to take?
A: Policy issues re: pay, etc.. need to come from within your organization: But again, if someone from your org tests positive to H1N1, DPH will be notified and we will work with you.

Q: What is the general option of school closures (State and Fed expect the procedure to be closure).
A: Mixed opinions locally

Q: Is there a health requirement to close school if there is a positive test result?
A: Different opinion in each district – however, this mandate comes from the Federal and State Level.

Q: Foreign travelers – where do we stand. Where do we send them if they need to access healthcare?

A: Send them where you would normally send them.. We are looking for more guidance.

Q: Community Centers: pools, jacuzzi’s, etc.. will Chlorine kill the flu? And what do we do if a member tests positive??

A: We are looking for more guidance on chlorine. See next question for positive test results.

Q: What will happen to a shelter if there is a positive test?? What happens to the clients?
A: All cases of H1N1 are reported to the DPH. DPH will contact your business and work with you. Note: If your client does not tell DPH that they reside at your shelter, then DPH will not know. NOTE: what is not answered here is: Should the shelter turn the person away if the person comes and says they tested positive for H1N1. However, it was stressed that your organization should probably have an idea of how you deal with individuals that do not feel well and are in your facility.

Q: Will the city know of a case before the organization knows. The worry is that a client will show up and say, “hey, I just tested positive to Swine..”
A: DPH knows before you do. DPH will contact you and work with you.

Q: Does SF offer sanctuary to immigrants so they can go to the doctor and not worry about immigration status?
A: Yes. Tracking immigration status is not the priority of Public Health- wellness is.
End of call II

Call III

2PM Call (Schools – USD & PVT)

Q: School is awaiting results. If the test comes back positive, does the school close?

A: This mandate will come from Federal and State gov. Right now, the answer is yes – but you will be notified and walked through the process

Q: Do we move forward with school trips – if so, what method of transport do you recommend?

A: We are not recommending social isolation (unless you are sick and until you are well.) Continue to live normally, but practice good hygiene.

Q: If one of our students has a sibling that tested positive, what do we do? Further Guidance is being sought.

Q: What exactly is the purpose of closing the school? Is it to isolate the school or to isolate the kids?

Further Guidance is being sought.

Q: Higher Education: What do we do if we have a student test positive or if a student is sick? Do we close classrooms, resident halls, campus, what? Some of these kids only have their dorm room as a home… nowhere to go.
A: DPH will work with you if there is a mandatory dormitory closing.

Q: What is the timeline – re: Dorm closure: DPH to work with school?

Further Guidance is being sought.

Q: How should the school deal with parents that do not let their children come to school because they are scared their child will get sick.
A: DPH not qualified to speak on laws around children and education: School board has a letter they will share that can be sent out. Child’s education is important.

Q: Does the school call the Asst. Superintendant if the school has a confirmed case of Swine Flu.
A: Yes – but most likely, he/she has already been notified by DPH.

Q: There was a rumor that a public school evacuated – is that true?
A: Correct; there was no public school evacuation. This was a rumor (for San Francisco).

Q: Are there any cases of sibling issue (transmission)?
A: Not in San Francisco.

Q: Medical Director at SFSU wants to know rules on reporting regular flu symptoms.
A: go to CDC website and follow instructions.

Q: To DPH: what are your recommendations for cleaning the school if a child tests positive?

Further Guidance is being sought.

Q: Right now, how prevalent is the “regular” flu? Schools are interested in knowing.
A: Good Question: We don’t currently have the answer to this question.

End of call III

Call IV

3PM Call (Consular Corps)

Q: French: Any travel restrictions?
A: Just the Federal recommendation of do not travel to Mexico unless it is critical.

Q: Mexico: Any message about eating Pork?
A: We have stated that a person cannot contract H1N1 virus from eating pork.

Q: Germany: Do you recommend masks?
A: No. However, it is not forbidden either.

Q: Germany: Do you have enough Tamiflu in stock?
A: Yes

Q: Is it possible to get Tamiflu at the pharmacy?
A: If you are diagnosed as someone needing Tamiflu, it will be available to you.

Q: Egypt: Can you please notify Consular Affairs or a specific Consulate if someone from one of our countries is diagnosed with having H1N1?

We will work to do so.

Q: Will you send us a daily newsletter?
A: We already are. If you are not receiving it, please let us know. Contact SF CARD - 415-955-8946 x230

Q: Are you going to tell us about SF only – or can you offer us information on the entire Bay Area?
A: ???? also, please visit WHO, CDC, etc…

Q: Can you give the Consulates regular updates?
A: Please continue to check our websites at www.sfcdcp.org or www.dph.org . You can also call: 888.865.0564. Representatives will be able to assist you (multilingual)

Q: Which site is more current: CDC or DPH?

We are attempting to answer this question, but it may take some time.