Urban university pandemic flu plans: A gaps analysis

Recently, a great deal of attention from public health, clinical medicine, and the media has been focused on the possibility of an influenza pandemic stemming from a mutated strain of the current avian flu (H5N1). Once human-to-human transmission occurs, densely populated areas will be at highest risk for rapid human to human transmission of pandemic influenza. Environments where thousands or millions of people congregate in a relatively small geographic area are more likely to contract and spread the flu. Because of close living and working quarters and high numbers of commuters, a large, urban university is an ideal place for influenza transmission to occur. This study is a gaps analysis of 22 large urban university pandemic flu plans. Plans are being compared using the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention's Colleges and Universities Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist to assess where universities are in the planning process and what gaps exist. Recommendations for ensuring university preparedness will be presented with findings.