Open Space
Contingency Plan for Swine Flu (H1N1)
The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon (FMUL) has developed a contingency plan similar to that developed by other entities in order to be prepared to best respond to the problem of the spread of Swine Flu (H1N1v).
This document was drawn up with the aim not only to detect and direct possible cases of contamination by the virus, but also to protect the students, support staff and teachers at the faculty. To this end, and through a dispatch order by the Dean, Professor Fernandes e Fernandes, a Swine Flu Accompaniment Committee was set up under the direction of Professor Francisco Antunes, who worked on the plan and on the preventive measures to be taken in the faculty. The document followed the guidelines and directives of the National Contingency Plan, of the University of Lisbon and of the Portuguese health authorities.
The current contingency plan takes into account the context in which the FMUL is set and its partnership institutions; these being the Santa Maria Hospital (HSM) and the Association for Research and Development of the Faculty of Medicine (AIDFM).
Of note among the different measures and procedures set out by the plan are:
a) The creation of two isolation rooms, adapted for this effect, located on Level 0 of the Egas Moniz Building – Institute of Preventive Medicine.
b) The setting up of two types of kit: the “Unit Kit”, to be distributed in the units and to be used whenever there is the identification of a collaborator or student undergoing illness, and the “Individual Kit”, to be given to the patient before entering the isolation room.
c) The creation of a 24-hour contact centre phone line for dealing with doubts, notifications of Swine Flu, orientation and notification of the Equipment and Premises Services for the cleaning and disinfecting of the areas that may have been contaminated during the suspicion of a Swine Flu outbreak.
d) The making of a flow chart for procedures for collaborators and students, as well as a flow chart and manual for procedures for the invigilating teams.
e) Setting up of procedures for the cleaning staff in order to adopt the correct procedures, namely in relation to the equipment and/or materials that might be more involved in the spreading of the (H1N1v) virus, routines and timetables for cleaning and action on the different scenarios (regular cleaning, cleaning of a contaminated site, cleaning of an isolation room). Those responsible for the ancillary services involved promoted team training activities.
The implementing of preventive measures (specifically those of cleaning, acquisition of disinfecting material, material and equipment for the kits) was begun in August 2009. The contingency plan was prepared according to the national directives and was divulged to the collaborators and students in October 2009. Internal communication of the plan involved the creating of a space on the FMUL portal, in which one may consult not only the document approved by the Dean but also the FAQs and the procedures flow chart.
Besides the adopting of preventive measures stipulated in the plan, the Faculty has joined the vaccination campaign organised by the University of Lisbon, which dealt not only with the groups identified by the General Health Directorate, but also in their students, mainly those in the areas of health, due to their frequenting high risk places for contagion and the students in the residences due to their being away from home without family support.
The four groups considered as priority cases in taking the vaccine are:
- Management teams for the Organic Units;
- 2nd and 3rd Term Pregnant Women;
- Students in the Clinical Years;
- Professionals with essential tasks for the working of the institution;
- Patients with asthma and other chronic pathologies and obese persons;
- Diabetics and cardiovascular patients.
The divulging of this campaign was carried out in partial manner and was aimed at each of the groups. Adhesion to the campaign was voluntary, and each person had to make manifest their will to participate. Vaccination was later carried out after the presenting of a medical declaration signed by the General Director of Health.
The first phase of enrolments was aimed at the groups with associated pathologies, pregnant women, management and professional teams with tasks considered to be essential. Out of a total of 40 enrolments, only half (21) picked up their medical declaration. The second phase, which is still underway, covers all the students from the years with clinical activity or having frequented ward duty (3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th years). The total number of students enrolled is 421. Despite the medical declarations having been made available since the beginning of the year, as of now only three students have picked up the document.
Recently the national authorities have announced the decrease in the flu activity in Portugal. The cases notified to the Faculty follow this tendency: between October and November 17 cases were reported (11 students and 6 collaborators). In December there was no notification. In January 2010 we had one collaborator away from work with the possibility of having contracted the virus.
These data are given to the UL Chancellery to be studied and monitored in relation to the overall number of cases on the level of the University of Lisbon.
The contingency plan will remain in place until further instructions by the national authorities, and will be adapted and modified whenever necessary, taking into account the evolution of the situation in Portugal and in our Faculty.
Carla Lucas
carlalucas@fm.ul.pt
Manuela Castro
manuelacastro@fm.ul.pt
This document was drawn up with the aim not only to detect and direct possible cases of contamination by the virus, but also to protect the students, support staff and teachers at the faculty. To this end, and through a dispatch order by the Dean, Professor Fernandes e Fernandes, a Swine Flu Accompaniment Committee was set up under the direction of Professor Francisco Antunes, who worked on the plan and on the preventive measures to be taken in the faculty. The document followed the guidelines and directives of the National Contingency Plan, of the University of Lisbon and of the Portuguese health authorities.
The current contingency plan takes into account the context in which the FMUL is set and its partnership institutions; these being the Santa Maria Hospital (HSM) and the Association for Research and Development of the Faculty of Medicine (AIDFM).
Of note among the different measures and procedures set out by the plan are:
a) The creation of two isolation rooms, adapted for this effect, located on Level 0 of the Egas Moniz Building – Institute of Preventive Medicine.
b) The setting up of two types of kit: the “Unit Kit”, to be distributed in the units and to be used whenever there is the identification of a collaborator or student undergoing illness, and the “Individual Kit”, to be given to the patient before entering the isolation room.
c) The creation of a 24-hour contact centre phone line for dealing with doubts, notifications of Swine Flu, orientation and notification of the Equipment and Premises Services for the cleaning and disinfecting of the areas that may have been contaminated during the suspicion of a Swine Flu outbreak.
d) The making of a flow chart for procedures for collaborators and students, as well as a flow chart and manual for procedures for the invigilating teams.
e) Setting up of procedures for the cleaning staff in order to adopt the correct procedures, namely in relation to the equipment and/or materials that might be more involved in the spreading of the (H1N1v) virus, routines and timetables for cleaning and action on the different scenarios (regular cleaning, cleaning of a contaminated site, cleaning of an isolation room). Those responsible for the ancillary services involved promoted team training activities.
The implementing of preventive measures (specifically those of cleaning, acquisition of disinfecting material, material and equipment for the kits) was begun in August 2009. The contingency plan was prepared according to the national directives and was divulged to the collaborators and students in October 2009. Internal communication of the plan involved the creating of a space on the FMUL portal, in which one may consult not only the document approved by the Dean but also the FAQs and the procedures flow chart.
Besides the adopting of preventive measures stipulated in the plan, the Faculty has joined the vaccination campaign organised by the University of Lisbon, which dealt not only with the groups identified by the General Health Directorate, but also in their students, mainly those in the areas of health, due to their frequenting high risk places for contagion and the students in the residences due to their being away from home without family support.
The four groups considered as priority cases in taking the vaccine are:
- Management teams for the Organic Units;
- 2nd and 3rd Term Pregnant Women;
- Students in the Clinical Years;
- Professionals with essential tasks for the working of the institution;
- Patients with asthma and other chronic pathologies and obese persons;
- Diabetics and cardiovascular patients.
The divulging of this campaign was carried out in partial manner and was aimed at each of the groups. Adhesion to the campaign was voluntary, and each person had to make manifest their will to participate. Vaccination was later carried out after the presenting of a medical declaration signed by the General Director of Health.
The first phase of enrolments was aimed at the groups with associated pathologies, pregnant women, management and professional teams with tasks considered to be essential. Out of a total of 40 enrolments, only half (21) picked up their medical declaration. The second phase, which is still underway, covers all the students from the years with clinical activity or having frequented ward duty (3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th years). The total number of students enrolled is 421. Despite the medical declarations having been made available since the beginning of the year, as of now only three students have picked up the document.
Recently the national authorities have announced the decrease in the flu activity in Portugal. The cases notified to the Faculty follow this tendency: between October and November 17 cases were reported (11 students and 6 collaborators). In December there was no notification. In January 2010 we had one collaborator away from work with the possibility of having contracted the virus.
These data are given to the UL Chancellery to be studied and monitored in relation to the overall number of cases on the level of the University of Lisbon.
The contingency plan will remain in place until further instructions by the national authorities, and will be adapted and modified whenever necessary, taking into account the evolution of the situation in Portugal and in our Faculty.
Carla Lucas
carlalucas@fm.ul.pt
Manuela Castro
manuelacastro@fm.ul.pt
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