The purpose of this Action Plan is to ensure the following:
- All suspected SARS cases are isolated promptly.
- All close contacts of SARS cases are quarantined as early as possible.
- All possible measures are taken to minimise the chance of spread to the University and the community at large.
- Accurate information is disseminated to the University members.
DEFINITION OF A 'CASE'
1. A fever case: A person who develops fever (>37.5 degree C) on 3 separate oral recordings.
2. A suspected case: A case who have had fever of 38 degree C for more than 1 day AND CXR evidence of pneumonia. The case is also admitted into the hospital and classified by Department of Health as a suspected case.
3. A confirmed case: A case confirmed by Department of Health as a confirmed case.
DEFINITION OF CLOSE CONTACT
Those who have been living with or have cared for or have been in direct contact with the respiratory secretions and/or body fluids of a person with suspected or confirmed SARS in the last 10 days.
To protect the University community from getting infected within the University, we adopt an extra cautious approach in applying this principle to University staff or students:
Close contacts in a hall of residence includes the following:
- those who are staying in the same room with a suspected or confirmed case.
- those who have had prolonged hours (of 3 hours or more) of face to face interaction at close distance (of less than 3 feet) with the suspected or confirmed case. This usually includes students staying on the same floor and students who have engaged in group activities with the case within the 10 days preceding the development of symptoms.
- those who have been cleaning the working bench/desk of a suspected or confirmed case without wearing masks or gloves.
Social contacts are those who have engaged in relatively brief hours of social contact with a suspected or confirmed case.
FEVER CASE
(Please follow these actions until the fever subsides continuously for 24 hours.)
Individual:
1. Consult a doctor who is the nearest to your place of stay.
2. If there has been sudden fever of 38 degree C or more, consult a doctor promptly.
3. If there has been sudden fever of 38 degree C and history of possible contact with a suspected or confirmed SARS patient, go to the Accident & Emergency Department of HA hospitals or one of the SARS screening Centres of the Department of Health. On-site chest X ray is probably required. Use a designated transportation for suspected SARS cases, if available.
4. For those without evidence of SARS infection:
- Sick leave will be given.
- Rest in your own room, either at home, or in the hostel. If you are at home, do not go back to the hostel. If you are in the hall, do not go to classes, laboratories, Hall events or common areas. If you decide to go home, please be sure to inform the Warden and keep him/her informed.
- Inform the warden. Report sick with a fever. If it is outside office hours, do not delay: contact the Duty Staff.
5. Whether at home, or in Hall, observe the rules of personal hygiene. Wash and dry your hands properly and frequently. Do not share towels, dishes and chopsticks.
6. Wear a mask to protect others: take special care to cover your coughs and sneezes.
The Warden:
If a case of fever is reported to you in your Hall, please:
1. Ensure that the fever case is under medical care.
2. Consider transferring the roommates out of the room. Remember that there is only a very slight possibility of the fever being an SARS case: the roommates may choose to go home, stay in the same room, or transfer to another room designated for the purpose by the Hall.
3. Address the roommates: go over with them the choice to remain in Hall or to go home. If they decide to stay in the same room with the fever case, they should be fully aware of the recommended guidelines on hygiene including wearing of masks and frequent hand washing.
4. If the roommate does not live in Hong Kong, or is unable to return to the local home, please liaise with the CEDARS on the availability of other accommodation if necessary.
5. Address the concerns of Hall staff & students, as appropriate.
The Roommate/s:
- The roommate should discuss with the warden concerning his/her concerns. He/she may choose to remain in the same room, be temporally transferred to another room or go home.
- He/she should inform the warden of his/her choice.
- If a roommate chooses to remain in the same room, he or she should observe the latest guidelines on the web for personal protection including wearing a mask and frequent handwashing. (www.hku.hk/sars)
University Health Service
- All fever cases will be immediately attended by a designated nurse in a separate room, seen by a designated physician.
- If Chest X ray is required, the patient will be transported in a designated vehicle to the Accident & Emergency Department or designated SARS screening Centres. The patient should wait in a separate room for the transfer.
SUSPECTED CASE
Individual:
- In hospital
- Notify UHS
- Communicate with staff in UHS to provide information related to his/her own disease, activities and contacts within the 10 days preceding the development of symptoms.
Department of Health or Doctor in Hospital
- Communicate with UHS physicians concerning the condition of the patient.
- Trace close contacts, e.g. family members living together, colleagues, etc.
The Warden
1. Establish communications with the Director of UHS and Dean of Student.
2. As far as possible, establish a list of all close contacts AND social contacts, within the 10 days preceding the development of symptoms in the case. (UHS will advise on these classifications).
3. List out all rooms/venues used by the 'case' in the past 10 days.
4. Convene separate meetings for close contacts and social contacts of the Hall with the emergency team of UHS. Inform all staff/students concerned to attend the meetings using Communication #3. Ask the absent 'close contact' staff/students to stay at home and contact UHS by phone. In this case, students who have been in close contact with the case for the last 10 days may be required to return to the Hall for quarantine.
5. Close the relevant floor until extensive cleaning and disinfection has been achieved.
6. Arrange for extensive disinfection of the 'infected areas' as defined by the director of UHS, with the advice of the Estates Office.
7. Address the general concerns of hall staff/students and the specific concerns of roommates and floor mates.
8. Forward media enquiries to the Communications and Public Affairs Office.
9. Post up Communication #2 and the SARS Prevention poster in Chinese and English after the extensive disinfection is accomplished.
10. Consider establishing other means of communications with the other students/staff such as bulletin boards, e-mails, etc. You may wish to place a notice at the Entrance to advise visitors of the situation.
11. Assist to quarantine of the close contacts in the following:
- Arrange the appropriate rooms for the close contacts to be quarantined, according to the advice of the director of UHS.
- Ensure that they do not go out, attend group activities, or entertain visitors during the quarantine period.
- Ensure that they observe the precautionary measures including wearing of masks.
- Arrange for provision of daily living support including meals, laundry, etc.
- Monitor their temperature and report to the UHS staff daily.
The Roommates and "Close Contacts" (as defined by the Director of UHS):
1. You should be quarantined for at least 10 days after your last day of contact with the case or as advised by the director of UHS. (Quarantine is a precaution for WELL people who may have been exposed to an infectious disease and could be at risk for incubating it, or passing it on to someone else.)
2. During this period, you should observe the following:
- Stay in your designated room; do not go to class or work, or attend group activities in the hall, or entertain visitors.
- Wear a mask at all times.
- Pay close attention to your own hygiene, health and living circumstances including frequent hand washing, cleaning of desk tops, door handles and switches with diluted bleach, cleaning of beddings, etc.
- Do not share towels, clothing, eating utensils etc.
- Monitor your body temperature everyday. Report to the Warden and the Doctor in UHS without delay IF you develop fever.
Department Head or Faculty Dean
1. Collaborate with UHS.
2. List out all contacts in work/classes within the last 10 days.
3. List out all rooms/venues used by the 'case' in the past 10 days.
4. Convene separate meetings for close contacts and social contacts of the Department staff with the emergency team of UHS. Inform all staff/students concerned to attend the meetings using Communication #3. Ask the absent 'close contact' staff/students to stay at home and contact UHS by phone.
5. Close the involved workplace, classrooms/laboratories, etc. for extensive disinfection*.
6. After the meeting, inform the close contacts not to return to work/class for 10 days after the last day of contact.
7. Address any concern of Department staff and students involved.
8. Post up Communication #2 and the SARS Prevention poster in Chinese and English after the extensive disinfection is accomplished.
9. Refer all media enquiries to CPAO.
* For areas frequently visited by the 'case' within the past 10 days, immediate closure and extensive disinfection is required.
For areas occasionally or rarely visited by the 'case' within the past 10 days, closure and cleansing will be performed at the end of the day as appropriate.
Director of UHS and UHS emergency team
1. Ascertain the condition of the patient by contacting the patient, the hospital doctor and Department of Health. Gather the following information:
- confirm the status as suspected or confirmed SARS case.
- the clinical condition of the patient, the type of investigations and treatment given.
- the activities of the patient within the University campus in the 10 days preceding the development of SARS symptoms.
- the contacts of the patient with University members in the 10 days preceding the development of SARS symptoms.
- the patient's account of possible source of infection.
2. Communicate with Warden, Department Head, Dean of Students and Faculty Head as appropriate.
3. Attend meeting with the staff/students in the Department/s concerned.
The objectives of the meetings are:
- to address the concern of the staff/students.
- to define close contacts at work and in class.
- to perform on-site screening of the close contacts for any early SARS symptoms and to act accordingly.
- to provide guidance and advice to the close contacts including issuing sick leaves, etc.
- to define the infected areas and to arrange cleaning of the areas.
4. Inform Communications and Public Affairs Office.
5. IMMEDIATELY after the meeting with the staff convened by the Department Head, send Communication # 2 through bulk mail (IMPORTANT category).
6. After the meeting, ring the close contact every day for 10 days to ascertain the following:
- that the precautionary measures are followed at home.
- any development of early SARS symptoms among any members and advise appropriate action if necessary.
- any development of psychological consequences among any members and advise appropriate action if necessary.
Dean of Students
- Inform staff in the CEDARS to help out in the UHS emergency Team.
- Inform the Counselling and Person Enrichment Unit to contact the patient and provide counseling, if required.
- Convene a meeting with the wider student contacts, if necessary, with the assistance of the Director of UHS and CPAO.
Communications and Public Affairs Office (CPAO)
- Keep the Vice-Chancellor informed of the issue.
- Prepare for Press Statement base on Communication # 2 and answer all media enquiries.
- IMMEDIATELY after the meeting of the Department staff/student convened by the Department Head, put Communication # 2 into List C, Intranet for staff and student and update the SARS Website.
Estates Office
- Attend meeting of the Department with the UHS emergency team.
- Carry out extensive disinfection of the workplace/classrooms involved.
CONFIRMED CASE
The Department of Health will determine whether or not a case of SARS has been confirmed. In this event, there are no additional actions to be taken, but all staff should revisit and review all the procedures previously undertaken. The Warden, Director of UHS, Head of Department(s), Dean of Students, Director of Communications will continue to collaborate, update the information on the website and do their best to handle enquiries and actively keep the community informed.
Communication #4 will be sent by bulk e-mail to inform all University members of the confirmed status of the case.
Please note: These Guidelines have been prepared according to the best available information on August 8, 2003. They are subject to change, at short notice, in the light of developments and new evidence. You should check the website for the most recent version at www.hku.hk/sars and HKU Staff/Student Intranet.
HOTLINE
Hotline for University Members Tel: 6021-5290
Department of Health Hotline Tel: 2961-8968
Revised August 8, 2003
Task Force on SARS
The University of Hong Kong