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Okanagan College staff wipe down surfaces as part of the institution's H1N1 prevention plan. (Photo Gary Moore)
Okanagan College and UBC Okanagan are taking similar approaches when it comes to dealing with H1N1: put information on the web, take preventative measures and encourage staff and students who become ill to “self-isolate.”
“Our focus from day one has been on prevention strategies and education of the community,” said UBCO’s manager of health, safety and environment, Shelley Kayfish.
Both of Kelowna’s post-secondary institutions have put information about H1N1 on their websites. They include things like what preventative measures to take and how to recognize that you might be coming down with the flu.
The college has also asked students and staff who become ill to self-report via the web.
“Right now we’re at about 20 reports within our institution,” said Allan Coyle, OC’s director of public affairs. The college has about 1,000 staff and 7,000 students throughout the Okanagan.
Both institutions have also stepped up their cleaning regimes and put hand sanitizing stations all over their campuses as well as posters advocating proper hand washing techniques.
“We’ve actually had posters installed at pretty much every sink on campus,” said Kayfish.
At OC meanwhile, “we’ve hired extra cleaning staff to go around and wipe down doors and other surfaces where a lot of human hands will contact and we’re trying to do that twice a day,” said Coyle.
As for dealing with staff and students who become sick with the flu, “business continuity” and “self-isolation” have become buzzwords in the fight against H1N1.
Business continuity simply means having a plan for staying open even if large numbers of employees stay home with the flu while self-isolation is what people who feel sick are encouraged to do by staying at home and avoiding public spaces.
adrian@kelowna.com
250-575-3517
Tags: H1N1, Okanagan College, UBC Okanagan
