Pandemic Influenza Response Plan

PHASE 1

• Educate Board's community on the importance on influenza and novel virus surveillance.
• Educate Board's community on preventive measures to be taken.

Action:

Preventable measures strategies are communicated to the LDSB. Schools and departments are to regularly review and

highlight preventable measures strategies. It is recommended that hand hygiene promotion and

teaching take place with support from Public Health.

Parents and staff are reminded to review the flu/cold guide and act accordingly, i.e. remain away from school if symptoms are present.

PHASE 2

• Review all infection control procedures, educate all staff on increase vigilance.*
•  Institute communication strategies to students and parents in the community.

* Infection control includes practices and procedures used to prevent disease transmission, and includes the knowledge and skills required to choose and maintain appropriate precautions.

PHASE 3

• Educate and reinforce reporting requirements by principals to KFL&A Public Health (10% of staff or students).
• Encourage vigilance in hand washing techniques.
• Encourage use of all preventive programs
• Reinforce education programs.Enhanced training of LDSB staff

Action:

Review and reinforce the practice of preventable measures by all staff and students. Highlight the necessity of the caretaking staff to increase the cleaning of &"frequently touched" areas within schools.

The goal of enhanced control practices is to:

• ensure a consistent, high standard infection control in all settings
• ensure there are appropriate procedures in place to respond to an outbreak

PHASE 4

• Encourage parents to develop a plan to find alternate for daycare options.
• Obey all Ministry of Health orders, including temporary school closures

Action:

Follow guidelines and directives issued by the MOH and Director of Education. Convene regular meetings of Executive Committee and Director's Council.

PHASE 5

• Institute communication plan PHASE 5 across the system.
• Continue all procedures in PHASE 4.
• Notify community of possible school closures. Restrict community, volunteers, visitors access to LDSB buildings.
• Evaluate co-op students/focus programs.
• Institute IT support at homes for essential services.

Action:

Follow guidelines and directives issued by the MOH and Director of Education. Convene regular meetings of Executive Committee and Director's Council.

PHASE 6

• All schools will, in all likelihood, be closed; however, the school may well be commandeered to provide functions under the Ministry of Health such as immunization clinics, assessment centres or information dissemination points.
• Rigorous infection control procedures will be in place and staff access may be limited to essential services only.

Action:

Executive Committee and/or Director's Council will meet on a regular basis to monitor the situation.

PHASE 7

• Educate Board's community on the importance of influenza and novel virus surveillance.
• Educate Board's community on preventive measures to be taken.

Action:

Preventable measures strategies are communicated to the LDSB

* It is important to note that a pandemic typically occurs in waves, with weeks/months in between each wave. A subsequent wave is usually more severe than the previous one.