UCSC staff members are hard at work on a number of activities that are designed to reduce the risk of an H1N1 flu outbreak on campus and minimize the spread if such an outbreak occurs.
Here is a partial list of those activities:
Student Health Center:
- Ordered seasonal influenza vaccine for students and scheduled clinics.
- Notified all health center students with medical conditions such as asthma and diabetes that the seasonal influenza vaccine is recommended for them and to schedule an appointment to receive the vaccine.
- Ordered H1N1 influenza vaccine for students.
- Increased urgent care and same day appointment capacity to improve access to care.
- Developed mechanism to quantify how many students are evaluated through the student health clinic with a diagnosis of influenza like illness
- Initiated telephone triage phone advice line for students with influenza like illness.
- Developed and provided educational programs to staff and administrators across campus regarding preparing the campus for H1N1.
- Posted signs at health center entrance, asking all students with respiratory infection symptoms to wear a mask to decrease the spread of infection; made masks available.
- Supplied hand sanitizers throughout health center for students and staff to decrease the spread of infection.
- Worked closely with the Santa Cruz Public Health Department on preparing for and preventing H1N1 infection on campus.
Housing and Residential Programs:
- Staff have identified several on-campus rooms that could be used to isolate an ill student from a well roommate or if well students want temporary housing while their roommate recovers from the flu.
- Publicity has been made available in all on-campus residential communities regarding hand washing techniques and personal hygiene precautions to prevent the spread of germs. Prevention information was distributed during move-in weekend.
- Flu kits are currently being distributed to every student that lives in university housing. The kits include: bio bags, hand sanitizer, fever strips, lozenges, Tylenol, face mask, information about the flu buddy meals-to-go program and general information about the flu. These kits are being distributed by the residential staff in each of the housing areas including family student housing.
- Anti-bacterial soap dispensers are being installed in all on-campus residence hall bathrooms.
Dining Services:
- Sanitizing gel dispensers or towelettes have been placed in all dining facilities and commonly used surfaces are frequently wiped down with a disinfectant.
- Meals are primarily self service with all serving utensils changed out once per hour.
- Take-out "Buddy Meals" are available for any student who may become ill.
- The Buddy Meal program is available at all Dining Halls and program details are posted at each location.
- Dining has the capability to provide meals on a "to-go" basis should circumstances warrant a reduction in social gatherings.
Campus Facilities:
- Physical Plant staff are using a hospital-grade disinfectant to clean campus restrooms. The disinfectant is CDC-approved and considered especially effective for high-touch surfaces.
Early Education Services:
- Childcare staff have increased frequency of "wipe downs" of child play areas, including tables and climbing structures.
- Programs will follow CDC and California state education protocols for school closures should a child be identified as testing positive for the H1N1 virus.
Transportation:
- "Cover Your Cough" flyers are being posted in all Campus Transit vehicles, at campus bus stops, and in the lobby of the TAPS Sales Office.
- Campus Transit drivers are being reminded to wipe down handrails and door handles on campus shuttle vehicles as part of the vehicle check-out process each day. Drivers are also being directed to use disinfectant wipes steering wheels and other control surfaces when they relieve other drivers for breaks and shift changes.
- When practical, passengers aboard Campus Transit vehicles are encouraged to leave windows open to promote the flow of fresh air through the vehicle.
