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Policies and Procedures
HEALTH
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE/PANDEMIC POLICY
1. PURPOSE
In keeping with its fundamental principles, the University of Lethbridge is
committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle for its students, faculty and staff. The
University of Lethbridge also acknowledges its legislated responsibility to
protect the health and wellbeing of those within the University community by
being prepared and responding to the potential for and actual transmission of
communicable diseases on campus. This policy is supported by the attached
procedures and guidelines (Appendix A), inclusive of the University’s Emergency
Response Plan, to assist in the prevention, mitigation, and response concerning
the spread of diseases that may threaten the University of Lethbridge.
2. SCOPE
This policy applies to all members of the University of Lethbridge community.
3. DEFINITIONS
3.1
“Communicable Disease” means a disease carried by microorganisms and
transmitted through people, animals, surfaces, foods, or air.
Communicable diseases rely on fluid exchange, contaminated substances,
or close contact to travel from an infected carrier to another individual.
3.2
“Pandemic” means it is prevalent throughout an entire country, continent,
or the whole world. Global communicable disease pandemics are declared
by the World Health Organization.
3.3
“Employee” means anyone hired by the University of Lethbridge to
perform specified and/or general duties on a full-time, part-time,
permanent, temporary, sessional, casual, or contract basis.
3.4
“Health Crisis” means a notifiable disease, serious illness, or health
condition at the University of Lethbridge that has the potential to, or has,
spread to numerous people.
AUTHORITY:
RESPONSIBILITY:
Board of Governors
Associate Vice-President
(Human Resources)
EFFECTIVE
DATE:
October 11, 2012
3.5
“Notifiable Disease” (also known as “reportable disease”) means a disease
that must be reported to public health authorities, according to the Public
Health Act. See Appendix for list of notifiable diseases.
3.6
“Student” means a student as defined in the University of Lethbridge
calendar.
3.7
“Medical Crisis Emergency Response Team” means the group of
individuals designated to lead the preparedness, response to, and recovery
from either potential or actual large-scale health crises on campus.
3.8
“Medical Crisis Committee” means the group of individuals designated to
assist with medical crises management on campus.
3.9
“Communicable Disease Outbreak/Infection Control Plan” provides a
general description of the process in which an infectious disease would be
dealt with at the University of Lethbridge. These procedures are subject
to change on a case-by-case basis to best minimize the morbidity and
mortality of the University community. The plan may include the
following:
(a)
Analysis and surveillance of the infectious disease outbreak taking
all appropriate measures to reduce the speed of infection among the
University community;
(b)
Planning, preparation, and response to a severe infectious disease
emergency through collaboration with a variety of individuals,
departments and committees at the University of Lethbridge,
including Public Health;
(c)
Creating and disseminating a community health education
strategy; and/or,
(d)
Re-evaluating and reviewing the preparation and response
strategies throughout the situation.
3.10
“University Community” means any student, employee, volunteer, person
invited to participate in a University-sponsored event, contractor, patron,
or guest of the University. It also extends to visiting professors, visiting
students, volunteers, members of the public, and third parties using
university facilities.
3.11
“University” means the University of Lethbridge, inclusive of all of its
campuses and sites.
4. POLICY
4.1
The University is committed to providing employees and students with the
best possible prudent public health practices in managing and controlling
communicable diseases.
4.2
Any individual who has, or is suspected of having, a communicable disease
(as prescribed in the regulations of the Alberta Public Health Act, Section
20) is required to inform his/her physician. Should the University become
aware of the situation, it is obligated to inform the Medical Officer of
Health (Alberta Public Health Act, Section 22 (1)).
4.3
The University, in accordance with the Health Information Act and the
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, will take all
reasonable steps to protect the privacy of individuals who have identified
communicable diseases. The University will not disclose the identity of any
student or employee who has a communicable disease, except as authorized
or required by law, for the administration of this policy.
4.4
The goal is to work collaboratively with a variety of internal and/or external
resources to ensure all medical response mechanisms are communicated
and implemented to address the health and wellbeing of the university
community while minimizing the impact upon the University’s operations.
4.5
The University shall, where reasonably possible, continue its essential
business activities to enable the delivery of its core services.
APPENDIX A - PROCEDURES & GUIDELINES
1. Responsibilities
Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH), or designate, promotes and protects the
health of Albertans under the authority of the Alberta Public Health Act.
"Communicable Diseases Regulation" under Section 4 of the Alberta Public
Health Act governs the response to communicable disease in Alberta.
President: The President of the University of Lethbridge, or designate, holds the
ultimate responsibility for health protection at the University. S/he is the
identified spokesperson, and will keep the Board of Governors and Senior
Administration informed. The University provides the necessary support and
resources to the Medical Crisis Emergency Response Team and/or Medical Crisis
Committee to enable them to fulfill the functions designated in the
Communicable Disease/Pandemic policy.
Manager: The Manager, University of Lethbridge Health Centre, (“Manager”) or
designate, acts as the in-house health consultant and guides the University to be
within the guidelines of medical ethics and the mandates of Alberta Public
Health Act. The Manager liaises with the CMOH, or designate, since these
health concerns are legally within his/her jurisdiction. In instances where there
is a health crisis the Manager will collaborate with others to manage the
situation.
Medical Crisis Emergency Response Team: The Medical Crisis Emergency
Response Team consists of the following:
•
Director, Security Services who serves as Leader;
•
Associate Vice President (Human Resources) who works in conjunction
with the Leader;
•
Manager, University Health Centre;
•
Director, Risk & Safety Services;
•
Director, Communications; and,
•
others as appointed by the Team, as dictated by the situation.
The Team will assess, plan, implement, and evaluate continuously in their
response and management of the crisis.
Medical Crisis Committee: The Medical Crisis Committee will be determined by
the Medical Crisis Emergency Response Team (MCERT) and may consist of all
members of MCERT, and representatives from the various University
departments who may provide assistance, as the situation mandates. The
committee will assist with crisis/pandemic management as it relates to each
member’s area.
Public Relations: Communications during a health crisis situation will be
critical. Communication will be coordinated by the Director, Communications or
designate in accordance with the University’s Crisis Communication Plan. All
requests for interviews and/or statements from University administrators on
matters of communicable disease should be directed to the Director,
Communications, or designate.
University Community: Members of the University Community have a
responsibility to respond appropriately to a health crisis which could affect
University operations and its community. This includes taking necessary
precautions to reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting a communicable
disease, and complying with the emergency response protocols the University
implements in response to the crisis.
2. Reporting Illness
Should a communicable disease (as listed in Appendix B) threaten the
University, the flow of information is critical to early detection, management,
and mitigation. While protecting the privacy of individuals, the reporting of
illness or communicable diseases to supervisors and/or Management is required.
3. Response/Action
Upon receiving medical crisis information, from within the University or from
Public Health authorities, the Manager, University Health Centre will:
3.1
Immediately inform the Associate Vice President (Human Resources), who
will disseminate information to President’s Executive. President’s
Executive consists of all the Vice-Presidents and the Associate VicePresident (Academic).
3.2
If Public Health Authorities, as designated under the Alberta Public Health
Act, are not the source of the crisis information, then the Manager will
immediately inform the Medical Officer of Health, or designate, as
mandated by the Alberta Public Health Act. The Communicable
Disease/Pandemic Plan, as part of the University’s Emergency Response
Plan, will be followed.
3.3
Once relevant information has been gathered about the health crisis, the
Manager, in collaboration with the Associate Vice President (Human
Resources), will convene the Medical Crisis Emergency Response Team.
The team will develop a communicable disease outbreak/infection control
plan to respond to the crisis. The Medical Crisis Emergency Response Team
will engage the Medical Crisis Committee as the situation mandates.
3.4
Resource information on the crisis will be made available as dictated by the
circumstances. As reasonably possible, the University Community will be
kept informed of crisis status and developments.
4. Crisis Resolution
4.1
Working with internal and external sources of information, the University
will return to normal University operations as soon as safely possible.
4.2
A written report detailing the business impact analysis and assessment
(including direct and indirect costs) shall be conducted by a person
appointed by the Vice President (Finance & Administration).
4.3
The President will formally acknowledge the end of the crisis to the
University, following advice from and in consultation with the Incident
Commander, Medical Crisis Emergency Response Team.
Appendix B
Provincial Program Development &Disease Control
Alberta Health and Wellness
NOTIFIABLE DISEASE LIST
Notifiable diseases are monitored and controlled by the Communicable Disease regulations under The Public Health Act.
AIDS
Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP)
Amoebiasis
Anthrax
Botulism
Brucellosis
Calicivirus Infection:
- including Norovirus, Norovirus like viruses & other small round structured viruses
(SRSVs)
Campylobacteriosis
Chancroid
Chickenpox (Varicella)
Chlamydial Infections
Cholera (O1 & O139)
Congenital Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Congenital Rubella Infection
Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS)
Congenital Toxoplasmosis
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease - Classic (CJD)
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease - Variant (vCJD)
Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever
Cryptosporidiosis
Cyclosporiasis
Dengue Fever
Diphtheria
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)
Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever
E. coli O157:H7
Enterovirus Infections:
- Including Coxsackie A, B & Echovirus
Giardiasis
Gonococcal Infections
Group A Streptococcal Disease, Invasive (iGAS)
Haemophilus Influenzae, Invasive – non-type b
Haemophilus Influenzae, Invasive - type b (Hib)
Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)
Hepatitis A (HAV)
Hepatitis B (HBV)
Hepatitis C (HCV)
Hepatitis (other, viral)
HIV Infection
Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV)
Influenzae A/B
Lassa Fever
Legionellosis
Leprosy
Leptospirosis
Listeriosis
Lyme Disease
Lymphogranuloma Venereum (LGV)
Malaria
Marburg Haemorrhagic Fever
Measles/Rubeola
Meningococcal Disease, Invasive (IMD)
Meningitis (viral)
Meningitis (bacterial, see Hib,IMD,IPD,iGAS)
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
Mucopurulent cervicitis (MPC)
Mumps
Neonatal Herpes Simplex Infection
Non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU)
Paratyphoid Fever
Parvovirus
Pertussis
Plague
Pneumococcal Disease, Invasive (IPD)
Poliomyelitis
Powassan Encephalitis
Psittacosis
Q fever
Rabies
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rotavirus
Rubella
St. Louis Encephalitis
Salmonellosis
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
Shigellosis
Smallpox
Staphylococcal Intoxication
Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE)
Syphilis
Tetanus
Toxic Shock Syndrome (if iGAS refer to Group A Streptococcal Disease, Invasive)
Trichinosis
Tuberculosis (TB)
Tularemia
Typhoid Fever
Typhus – Louseborne
Typhus – Murine
Typhus – Scrub
Varicella Zoster, Shingles
Vibrio Parahaemolyticus
Vibrio cholerae (non O1, non O139)
Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE)
West Nile Virus Asymptomatic Infection (WNAI)
West Nile Virus Non-neurological Syndrome (WN-Non NS)
West Nile Virus Neurological Syndrome (WNNS)
Yellow Fever
Yersiniosis
*And any communicable disease that may be added to this list from time to time.