Of the 249 cases of swine flu in Virginia, 2 percent, or five total have been in the Thomas Jefferson health region, which includes Greene, Fluvanna, Albemarle, Nelson and Louisa counties. Two have been UVA employees, and Marge Sidebottom, University director of emergency preparedness, says she expects there to be more.
So, as the fall approaches and Charlottesville becomes congested with students, UVA officials are preparing for the possible increase of swine flu cases.
“We are sharing the right information and recognizing that there is influenza in the community,” says Sidebottom.
A week ago, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Leonard Sandridge notified the University community about the outbreak of swine flu in a “small group” of UVA employees. He also addressed how to prevent transmission and recognize infection.
Though individuals can help to limit the virus’ spread, a pandemic is still possible, and the University is preparing itself, says Sidebottom.
“We are following a plan we have had in place for a couple of years and this is an opportunity for us to take a look at that plan,” she says.
In the case of pandemic, the emergency plan discusses issues such as evacuation, sending non-infected students home, isolating the ill and people who could not go home and how to protect the University’s workforce, Sidebottom says.
Meanwhile, the newest plans remain a work in progress, still in the hands of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.
Sidebottom says UVA and the Centers for Disease Control are encouraging people to follow “good infection control techniques”—common sense things like covering their mouths when they cough or sneeze and getting appropriate treatment for flu-like symptoms.
Though she is sure the University has a very good emergency plan in the event of a pandemic, Sidebottom says the Virginia Department of Emergency Management will notify her office in the next few weeks about any necessary changes to it.
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