Appendix B Pandemic Influenza Stages – with Key Actions for Schools The scale and nature of PREPAREDNESS preparedness activities is the same Description - No strain detected (or emerging strain under initial detection) for all possible levels of clinical severity Category Key Actions Preparedness should be incorporated Review your Emergency Management Plan (EMP), including: Review Emergency into business as usual activities. pandemic planning arrangements Management Plan contact lists of staff, students, families, local services and This includes incorporating a DHHS regional emergency management coordinators comprehensive risk management communication tree (key staff). strategy that takes an hazards’ ‘all Promote hygiene measures within the school by: Influenza prevention approach and includes influenza providing students and staff with information about the pandemic as a specific hazard that importance of hand hygiene (more information is available needs to be considered. at ) providing convenient access to water and liquid soap and Regularly review, exercise and update alcohol-based hand sanitiser plans. educating staff and students about covering their cough with a tissue or their inner elbow to prevent the spread of germs Communicate pandemic plans with ensuring careful disposal of used tissues. staff. Exercise appropriate home-based exclusion from school among staff and students with flu-like illness. Encourage staff to seek immunisation for seasonal influenza. Communicate personal hygiene messages to staff and students. Communications Convey seasonal influenza messages as directed by DET. Encourage staff and parents/carers to access the website prior to Travel advisories international travel being undertaken by the school and incorporate this advice into travel risk assessment and mitigation strategies for pandemic. Ensure currency of business continuity plan which: Business continuity identifies minimum requirements and key staff for continued operations (including planning for the absence of the principal and school council) considers workforce strategies to enable continued operations, if pandemic affects a portion of the workforce. RESPONSE STAGE STANDBY – Clinical severity Description Sustained community person-to-person transmission detected overseas – Category Key Actions Low Med High Apply In April, (or at the time of the overseas detection, if earlier): Review Emergency ensure EMP (including emergency numbers and key Management Plan contacts) are up to date and pandemic planning arrangements are included ensure contact lists of staff, students, families, local services, and DHHS Emergency Management Coordinators are
Appendix B – Pandemic Influenza Stages with Key Actions for Schools PREPAREDNESS The scale and nature of preparedness activities is the same for all possible levels of clinical severity Description - No strain detected (or emerging strain under initial detection) Category Key Actions Review Emergency Management Plan Review your Emergency Management Plan (EMP), including: pandemic planning arrangements contact lists of staff, students, families, local services and DHHS regional emergency management coordinators communication tree (key staff). Preparedness should be incorporated into business as usual activities. This includes incorporating a comprehensive risk management strategy that takes an ‘all hazards’ approach and includes influenza pandemic as a specific hazard that needs to be considered. Regularly review, exercise and update plans. Communicate pandemic plans with staff. Influenza prevention Promote hygiene measures within the school by: providing students and staff with information about the importance of hand hygiene (more information is available at ) providing convenient access to water and liquid soap and alcohol-based hand sanitiser educating staff and students about covering their cough with a tissue or their inner elbow to prevent the spread of germs ensuring careful disposal of used tissues. Exercise appropriate home-based exclusion from school among staff and students with flu-like illness. Encourage staff to seek immunisation for seasonal influenza. Communications Communicate personal hygiene messages to staff and students. Convey seasonal influenza messages as directed by DET. Travel advisories Encourage staff and parents/carers to access the website prior to international travel being undertaken by the school and incorporate this advice into travel risk assessment and mitigation strategies for pandemic. Business continuity Ensure currency of business continuity plan which: identifies minimum requirements and key staff for continued operations (including planning for the absence of the principal and school council) considers workforce strategies to enable continued operations, if pandemic affects a portion of the workforce. RESPONSE STAGE – STANDBY Clinical severity Description – Sustained community person-to-person transmission detected overseas Category Key Actions Low Med High Review Emergency Management Plan In April, (or at the time of the overseas detection, if earlier): ensure EMP (including emergency numbers and key contacts) are up to date and pandemic planning arrangements are included ensure contact lists of staff, students, families, local services, and DHHS Emergency Management Coordinators are Apply
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