Avian Flu FAQ's
- What is Victoria University doing?
- As a manager, what are my responsibilities?
- Do I have to come to work if I'm worried I might catch avian flu?
- Can I still travel overseas?
- What protection will the University give me from getting ill?
- Will the University provide me with Tamiflu?
- What happens if public gatherings are banned?
What is Victoria University doing?
Victoria University is taking the threat of an avian influenza pandemic seriously. It has established a pandemic preparedness and response planning committee. The committee members are:
- Ruth Moorhouse, Director, Student Services Group (Convenor)
- Dr Thaw Naing, Medical Director, Student Health
- Madeleine Setchell, Communications Manager, Communications and Marketing
- Matthias Nebel, Services Manager, Victoria International
- Nick Merrett, Manager, Accommodation Service
- Duncan Henry, Fire & Emergency Coordinator, Campus Services
- Marie Powell, Occupational Health & Safety Nurse, Human Resources; and
- Lois Bailie, Manager, Student Administration, Faculty of Commerce & Administration;
The committee’s role is to:
- Provide University staff and students with a coherent, rapid, timely and coordinated plan with which to respond to an outbreak of avian flu pandemic;
- Align the University’s plan with those of the WHO, Ministry of Health, Capital and Coast Health District Health Board , and Regional Public Health action plans;
- Ensure there is a clear and understandable process in dealing with an outbreak;
- Minimise illness and deaths from an avian flu pandemic;
- Ensure the maintenance of essential services at Victoria University of Wellington;
- Minimise the economic losses and social disturbances caused by any outbreak of the infection;
- Ensure accurate and useful communication with the wider community with regards to any outbreak.
As a manager, what are my responsibilities?
Managers will play a key role in Victoria’s response to a potential pandemic. It is vital that they:
- Keep abreast of the latest information on pandemic preparedness, specifically as it relates to Victoria, ensuring that their staff are aware of that information;
- Emphasise to staff the importance of basic hygiene measures;
- Plan for business continuity in the event of a pandemic, including considering staffing if public gatherings are banned and schools and early childhood education centres are closed;
- Ensure staff update their personal details, including addresses, telephone numbers and next of kin in the Web Kiosk;
- Ensure that unwell staff stay at home, following the University’s procedures in terms of daily contact with staff, until they are fit to return to work;
- Ensure staff comply with the University’s travel advisories;
- Seek clarification on issues they are not clear on from the Pandemic Preparedness and Response Planning Committee (Note: a pandemic questions email system will be set up so that staff can ‘click-here’ and an email question will be generated to address for response co-ordination and updating of FAQ as necessary).
Do I have to come to work if I'm worried I might catch avian flu?
Yes, subject to the advice of Regional Public Health and the Ministry of Health. While the University remains operational, you are obliged to attend to your normal work and duties (unless advised otherwise by Regional Public Health of Ministry of Health).
As a responsible employer, the University is obliged to assess all hazards to staff health and safety and take steps to eliminate, isolate or minimise the threat posed by the hazard. Depending on the pandemic alert level, this response could vary from providing information on basic hygiene to providing masks for staff working in close proximity to members of the public and regularly sterilising common working surfaces and, acting on instruction by the Ministry of Health and Regional Public Health, cancel any public gatherings such as lectures, seminars and tutorials, and cessation of early childhood education services etc.
Victoria’s response to this will be guided by the advice of the Ministry of Health and Regional Public Health and the respective pandemic alert level. Should public gatherings be banned and there is a significant reduction in the University’s public activities, it is likely that staff will be redeployed into carrying out other tasks.
Can I still travel overseas?
Victoria’s response will be guided by the advice of the Ministry of Health, Regional Public Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade. All staff travelling overseas, either on personal or University business, especially to areas affected by avian influenza H5NI virus should abide by the travel advice on this website before travelling, while travelling and after they return home, including advising their manager of their travel plans. As with the recent SARS outbreak, Victoria may decide to limit or ban travel by staff to particular areas on University business if necessary. The University will communicate its position to staff on travel issues through this website, email and VicNews.
What protection will the University give me from getting ill?
Victoria University will take all reasonable steps to minimise the spread of avian flu to staff and students and the wider community. Depending on the level of alert and the advice of the Ministry of Health and Regional Public Health, those steps may include providing important travel information and information on basic hygiene, masks for staff working in public areas, and sterile wipes for communal equipment and surfaces. Acting on instruction from the Ministry and Regional Public Health, public gatherings such as lectures and seminars may be banned and early childhood education services may be suspended.
Will the University provide me with Tamiflu?
Tamiflu is a prescription medicine and any decision on its use should be made by the individual and their GP (general practitioner). The University will be guided by the advice of the Ministry of Health and Regional Public Health in terms of any advice to carrying medication when travelling to affected areas.
What happens if public gatherings are banned?
Should the Ministry of Health and Regional Public Health declare that public gatherings cannot be held, this will impact on the provision of lectures, seminars and tutorials and other public events at the University. The University’s early childhood centres will be unable to operate. Managers will need to plan for business continuity in the event that public gatherings are banned and advise the Pandemic Preparedness Committee on the likely impact on the delivery of academic and other services.
It is envisaged that with proper planning that most of the University will continue to operate in a modified form using other communication channels and by maintaining minimum distances between people, regularly sterilising communal surfaces and equipment and through rigorous adoption of basic hygiene practices.