Emergency Communications


EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS


For the latest updated on Emergency Preparedness at the University of Toronto, go to:

http://www.preparedness.utoronto.ca/


To: All students, staff, faculty

From: Health Sciences Committee on Emergency Preparedness (HSCEP) co: chairs, Dr Sarita Verma and Dr Andrea Sass-Kortsak

Date: Oct. 29, 2009

Re: H1N1 vaccination update: Please note the following important message

The H1N1 vaccine is now available and will be shortly accessible for free to the public.

All staff, faculty and students are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated to protect yourself, your family and your patients.

Where you are also a Hospital employee (such as Research Fellows, Residents and Clinical Faculty) you must abide by Hospital policy with respect to vaccination .

For Health Professional Students, all Toronto Academic Hospitals have assured us that they will provide vaccinations to students in clinical placements at their sites.

For all other faculty, staff and students your earliest and primary access to vaccine is at the mass public vaccination clinics as outlined below.

Toronto Public Health

Toronto Public Health begins vaccinations on October 29,2009.

For more information about the location and hours of operation of City clinics, visit:

http://www.toronto.ca/health/cdc/h1n1/clinics.htm

Peel Public Health Clinics

Peel Public Health begins vaccinations on October 28th. For more information about the location and hours of operation of Peel Region clinics, visit:

http://www.peelregion.ca/health/topics/commdisease/h1n1-clinic-sched.htm

University of Toronto Clinics

STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS

Toronto & Peel Public Health have agreed to supply vaccine to Student Health Services at the University of Toronto for students. The vaccine is free, you will require a student card to receive the vaccine at a University of Toronto vaccine clinic.

We expect to receive the vaccine in the near future. As soon as we finalize plans with the Public Health authorities we will communicate the details of the U of T clinics at www.preparedness.utoronto.ca

However, we encourage students – especially those who are in clinical settings – to visit one of the public health mass vaccination clinics before that time.

FACULTY and STAFF

Public Health authorities have determined that they will not distribute H1N1 vaccine to employers for their employees due to the existence of the mass vaccination clinics. Therefore, we encourage faculty and staff to visit one of the public health clinics. Some family physicians may also have H1N1 vaccine available.

General information about the H1N1 vaccine is available here:

What you need to know before receiving the H1N1 Flu Vaccine

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/h1n1/vacc/know-savoir-eng.php

To: All students, staff, faculty

From: Health Sciences Committee on Emergency Preparedness (HSCEP)

Date: Oct. 13, 2009

Re: H1N1 preparedness update

We would like to provide you with a brief update on preparations for the anticipated increase in H1N1 incidence.

Current Context

  • Although H1N1 activity has been quiet through September, there has been an increase in flu activity through October. This upward trend is likely to continue through the fall as we move into the traditional flu season.

Prevention

  • Please continue to be diligent by washing /sanitizing hands frequently; sneezing and coughing into your sleeve or tissue; and staying home if you are ill. Information about H1N1 symptoms and how to fight the spread can be found at http://www.toronto.ca/health/

Illness and reporting

  • We remind all of you that if you become ill with flu-like symptoms, you are expected to stay home until you are symptom free. Absences are to be reported as follows:

o Staff are to report Influenza-like-illness (ILI) absences as detailed here,

o Students are to report ILI via ROSI and /or as set out by their individual program.

o Faculty members are asked to report ILI to their chair/dean.

  • The University of Toronto has posted student guidelines for when it is safe to return after ILI here. Health Sciences Students may find that, given their exposure to more vulnerable populations within clinical health care settings, their specific clinical institution may require a longer period free of symptoms before returning to their rotation or placement. Students are expected to follow the guidelines set by their clinical location.

Vaccinations

  • H1N1 vaccinations are not yet available in Canada. We are following this closely and will be providing additional information as the H1N1 vaccine becomes available.

Continuing Updates

  • The central U of T emergency preparedness website will be updated on a regular basis. You can go to this website to keep yourself updated on H1N1. Your specific Health Sciences Faculty website will also carry updates related to your specific group / Faculty.


To: All staff, faculty, students

From: Health Sciences Faculties Committee on Emergency Preparedness (CEP)

Date: 17 July 2009


Re: Update on H1N1 and other activities

Although the summer season is upon us and news of the H1N1 outbreak has receded from the headlines, the joint Health Sciences Faculties Committee on Emergency Preparedness (CEP) has been at work reviewing and developing our strategy for communicating and working in the context of emergency.

This work continues for two reasons.

  • There is some anticipation that the regular fall flu season could bring a resurgence of H1N1.
  • There is growing recognition that health sciences Faculties, due to their dispersed integration into health care facilities, have a specific need to develop a coordinated emergency plan suited for a variety of emergency situations.

To date, the CEP has set up three multi-Faculty subcommittees, each developing a coordinated emergency response plans. The subcommittees include:

  • Communications
  • Student support
  • Curriculum

The subcommittee reports will be finalized over the summer and made available through this website. Part of the communications strategy will include a centralized Health Sciences CEP portal which all Health Sciences faculty, staff and students can access for up to date information.

Please check back to this website for future updates. Thank you to all members of the committees for their hard work and dedication to date.


Dr. Sarita Verma
Deputy Dean and Vice Dean, Postgraduate Medical Education
Co-chair, Committee on Emergency Preparedness

Dr. Andrea Sass-Kortsak
Vice Dean, Graduate Education
Co-chair, Committee on Emergency Preparedness


1 May 2009 - 11:30 am

Dear Colleagues,

I wanted to provide you with an update on the status of the H1N1 (swine flu) situation and how we as a Faculty are responding. The lessons learned during the SARS outbreak are serving us very well at this early stage in terms of preparing and working out lines of communication with our various stakeholders and partners.

Deputy Dean Sarita Verma is chairing a core management committee which is coordinating our work within the Faculty, the university and our partner hospitals. Our liaisons with the TAHSN hospitals are Andrea Sass-Kortsak (Vice-Dean, Graduate Affairs) and Leslie Bush. (Assistant Vice-Provost, Health Science Sector). Our links to Simcoe Hall are Tim Neff (Chief Administrative Officer), Jean Robertson (Director, Human Resources) and Andrea Sass-Kortsak. This committee will be meeting frequently to provide guidance and direction to all staff, students and faculty. While Dr Verma is away, Andrea Sass Korstak will be at the Chair.

Our link to the Hospital University Education Committee (HUEC) is its chair Sarita Verma. That committee has an emergency plan in place and is prepared to invoke it if circumstances continue to evolve. HUEC has already met and has reconfirmed the HUEC Principles for Maintenance of the Educational Processes During Times of Crisis.  It was established within that document that HUEC would act as the main conduct of communication on educational programs between hospitals and the Faculty of Medicine in the event of an emergency. As Vice-Provost, Relations with Health Care Institutions, I will communicate with other Health Faculty Deans and am in daily contact with the Provost and President.

We are in a situation that seems to be changing on a daily and hourly basis. We are and will continue to be communicating directly with our students and trainees. We are in the process of compiling comprehensive email lists, so please advise your students, faculty and staff to check their UToronto email accounts regularly for updates. The University of Toronto has been compiling a list of cell phone numbers for quick access to all staff, students and faculty; we would advise you to take a moment to update your information in that database by clicking here: https://alert.utoronto.ca/callme/

We have also created a place on our Faculty website where all internal communications related to H1N1 will be posted. As well, the site contains direct links to local, national and international public health bodies with reliable, official news on the status of the situation. The site can be accessed by clicking on the “Swine Flu Updates” button on our homepage ( www.facmed.utoronto.ca ) or directly by clicking here: http://www.facmed.utoronto.ca/about/swineflu.htm .

The U of T has also created a campus-wide information site: http://www.preparedness.utoronto.ca/ .

I would like to thank everyone for the dedication and responsiveness they’ve shown through this process and commend those who have put in a great deal of effort and initiative to help us with these preparations.
-
Catharine Whiteside,
Dean, Faculty of Medicine


29 April 2009 - 4:30pm

As individuals involved in health and biomedical education and research, we have all been monitoring news of the swine flu.

As health care professionals, students and administrators involved in health care education and research, we have all been monitoring news of the swine flu.

This may potentially have a significant impact on our partner hospitals, and therefore on our clinical as well as campus-based programs. We are working closely with our partner agencies and organizations to assist with preparations. Our hospital based students, residents and all trainees must comply with the policies and procedures that are being instituted in the hospitals. The University is fully informed of these procedures. It is important to emphasize that all students, residents and trainees who have any relevant symptoms - declare these and stay at home.

For faculty and staff based on campus, the U of T has created a web page for updates. Please check here for campus employee news related to swine flu:

http://www.preparedness.utoronto.ca/

The Faculty of Medicine has created a special link on our website which will provide regular updates. This site includes links to important websites of municipal, provincial, national, international and global agencies, to allow you easier access to up to date information. Please check here frequently.

http://www.facmed.utoronto.ca/about/swineflu.htm

When required, we will also communicate with you directly to advise you of any important new developments.

As per the City of Toronto Public Health, do your part to stop the spread of germs:


- Wash or sanitize your hands frequently
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue
- If you don't have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve or arm – NOT your hands
- Stay home if you aren't feeling well

28 April 2009

CAMPUS

University of Toronto
http://www.preparedness.utoronto.ca/

MUNICIPAL

Toronto Public Health
http://www.toronto.ca/health/cdc/communicable_disease_surveillance/monitoring/alerts/swine_flu.htm

PROVINCIAL

Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion
http://www.oahpp.ca/

Ontario Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care Important Health Notices
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/emu/ihn.html

FEDERAL

Canadian Public Health Agency
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/swine_200904-eng.php

UNITED STATES

Centres for Disease Control
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

GLOBAL

World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html


27 April 2009

This page was created in preparation for future updates from the Faculty of Medicine regarding H1N1, and any future emergency preparedness communications..