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As federal, state, and local government agencies are grappling with how to
deal with the effects of a pandemic outbreak of avian flu, Dartmouth's
Emergency Management Group (EMG) is meeting regularly to assess and revise the
College’s plans. The group routinely meets to work on strategies dealing
with a broad range of crisis situations, including ice storms, power outages,
earthquakes, and terrorist activity. The Pandemic Planning Group, a subset of
the EMG that has been dealing specifically with pandemic preparedness, convened
for a day-long retreat in April to assess planning for a possible outbreak of
avian flu. While there is uncertainty as to whether the virus that causes bird
flu will mutate into a form that could pass easily between humans, there is
broad agreement that individuals and institutions should have preparedness
plans in place to deal with it if it does.
Dartmouth's planning process for avian flu assumes the worst-case scenario
of global human outbreak—one with the potential to cause widespread illness,
death, and social disruption. Members of the Pandemic Planning Group hope
that such a scenario never materializes, but their goal is to make sure, if it
does, that the College is as prepared as possible. There will be another
planning session this month, to continue to refine plans in light of emerging
medical and public policy information.
President James Wright
spoke at the April retreat, saying, “We have a responsibility to understand and
anticipate all potential emergencies, including a global outbreak of avian flu,
so we can devise the most effective plans for Dartmouth and the
community." In the event that plans for pandemic flu would have to
be implemented, he said, “Our first principle will be to look for the best ways
to protect the students and employees of our community.” He added that advance
planning is of particular importance at Dartmouth because of the residential
nature of the campus.
Stephen
Spielberg, dean of Dartmouth
Medical School, also spoke at the retreat and explained that if the virus
does mutate into a form that is infectious by human-to-human contact, early
efforts to contain its spread will be critical and might involve travel
restrictions. Wright and other senior officers are monitoring events closely,
consulting with medical experts and local and state officials. Should avian flu
become transmissible to humans, a decision may be made to suspend some College
operations.
Conversations on pandemic planning, and the effects a decision to suspend
the academic program would have, are currently under way now within divisions
across campus. Plans are being made to ensure that certain key functions,
including power plant operations, technology infrastructure, communications,
payroll, and insurance, continue to operate in the event of a College closure.
Deans are speaking with faculty members about their ongoing research needs,
many supervisors are training employees in essential jobs on how to stay safe
while providing the best service to the community, and the College has jointly
sponsored, with Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical
Center, two public presentations by Dr. Kathy
Kirkland of the infectious disease unit on the subject of avian flu. Future
presentations will include sessions on general emergency preparedness for
individuals and families.
While there is no indication at the moment that the avian flu virus will
gain the ability to readily infect humans, the nature of our campus environment
and our location demand that we plan ahead and plan wisely. A special Web site has been
created that contains background information on avian flu and pandemic
preparedness. If there are significant new developments, the site will be
updated immediately. The site also contains answers to questions on individual
preparedness planning.
For more information on avian flu, see the World
Health Organization and the U.S.
Government's Web sites.
By LAUREL STAVIS
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