KU News Release

KU pandemic flu Web site offers response plan, tips for self protection

LAWRENCE — To address the potential for a global influenza pandemic, the University of Kansas has developed and posted online a pandemic response plan to guide campus response should such a crisis occur.

The plan, online at www.pandemic.ku.edu, is consistent with pandemic preparedness guidelines set by the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. departments of homeland security and health and human services, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Douglas County emergency response plans.

“Unlike previous pandemics, health officials are now able to track some viruses around the world. That gives us the unprecedented opportunity to plan in advance for such an event and we have done so,” said Carol Seager, director of Student Health Services at KU. “This plan gives key units on campus the guidance they will need to prepare, make informed decisions and respond in a timely manner should a pandemic occur.”

Influenza pandemics have occurred about three or four times per century, most recently in 1968. The last severe pandemic was the 1918-19 “Spanish Flu” pandemic that killed more than 24 million people around the world. The influenza, which some think originated at Fort Riley, closed KU for a month, leaving 24 people dead and nearly 1,000 faculty, students and staff ill.

Health authorities worldwide are focused on Avian influenza — or bird flu — an infectious, sometimes fatal disease in birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus. Avian influenza viruses do not normally infect humans, but there have been instances of highly pathogenic strains causing severe respiratory disease in people in Asia. The recent spread of the virus to poultry and wild birds in other countries has heightened concern that more human cases may occur.

Citing these “ominous changes,” the World Health Organization has urged nations since 2005 to prepare for a potential pandemic, declaring that “all prerequisites for the start of a pandemic have now been met save one: the establishment of efficient human-to-human transmission.”

The KU plan was developed over the past year by a task force led by Senior Vice Provost Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett, Seager and Mike Wildgen, incident management coordinator. Participating units were the Department of Athletics, Counseling and Psychological Services, Office of the Comptroller, Dining Services, Environment Health and Safety, Facilities Operations, General Counsel, Human Resources and Equal Opportunity, Information Services, the offices of the provost and chancellor, KU Public Safety, Office of Research and Graduate Studies, Student Health Services, Department of Student Housing, Student Success and University Relations.

The plan’s three primary goals are to save and protect lives and property; insure institutional continuity and recovery; and identify the necessary responses to provide a structure within which university leaders can make decisions.

In addition to the KU response plan, the Web site provides information on how individuals can protect themselves from the flu; a departmental response guide; the university’s social distancing policy, which would help guide decisions on cancellation of classes and/or public events should a pandemic approach; and links to current Avian influenza information from the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Red Cross and other agencies.

KU will continue to monitor the recommendations of various national and state organizations and will alter the existing plan if necessary, McCluskey-Fawcett said.

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.