Swine Flu Outbreak

Last Updated on Thursday, 24 September 2009 06:54 Written by Andrew Lai Friday, 26 June 2009 00:00

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To all students and parents please be aware that we are monitoring the current Swine flu outbreak carefully and all universities have contacted their students. The Institute for Study Abroad is continuing to monitor the outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus (Swine Flu strain) in Mexico and other countries. Please be assured that all IFSA-Butler offices in the U.S. and abroad are on high alert and keeping students informed about the latest developments in their countries.

The following frequently asked questions (FAQs) are to address concerns about the H1N1 virus.

What are your offices doing to help students in case they contract the virus after they arrive abroad?

1. Our U.S. office is sending students who have not yet departed (and their parents) H1N1 updates that are specific to their host country. These updates include the geographical areas and/or universities most affected by the virus and precautions specific to that country.
2. The australian office has several hundred face masks abd will distribute these if needed. 
3. Our U.S. office has ensured that the student health coverage (included in the program fee) will cover the cost of medical treatment for any student who contracts H1N1.
4. Our U.S. office has secured Trip Interruption Insurance for students. See below for details.
5. Our on-site orientations are including individualized advice to students on how to react to H1N1 according to their particular location, housing situation, etc.

Will vaccinations for H1N1 available be available in my host country?

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that vaccinations for H1N1 will be available in October 2009. The vaccine will probably be limited when first available, and our program countries will likely give high-risk populations top priority in receiving the vaccinations.

Am I more at risk for H1N1 abroad than I am in the U.S.?

As of September 2, 2009, the United States has by far the largest number of H1N1 cases in the world. Though we recommend following general sanitary precautions, we do not believe that our students are more at risk for H1N1 abroad than they are at home. In addition, please remember that while H1N1 has been affecting more young and healthy patients than influenza strains in recent years, H1N1 continues to be most severe and dangerous in small children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.

Will you close your Australian program because of H1N1?

At this point IFSA-Butler does not anticipate closing any of its Australian program due to this virus.

Are any of your program countries forcing arriving American students into quarantine because of H1N1?

As of September 2, 2009, none of our program countries are enforcing quarantine upon arriving Americans. However, because of the lengthy flight to Australia and New Zealand, our resident staff in those countries created "quarantine quarters" at our orientation sites in case any newly arrived students showed H1N1 symptoms. The "quarantine quarters" were rooms that would have allowed students or staff to separate from others and recuperate throughout the four days of orientation with comfortable beds, appropriate liquids and food for flu patients, and medicine for treating symptoms. Happily, neither country had to use the quarantine facilities!

What if I catch H1N1 just before departure and I have to stay home?

Please, stay home and get better! IFSA-Butler has the following provisions for students who are not able to travel because of illness:
1. We have obtained Trip Interruption Insurance on your behalf at no cost to you. The insurance pays for airline cancellation and/or rebooking fees, out-of-network physician fees should you need to visit a doctor away from home, and more.
2. If you booked a seat on the group flight, Advantage Travel will help you book new flights to your host country once you are well and able to travel.
3. IFSA-Butler's resident staff in your host country will conduct an abbreviated, makeup orientation to get you up to speed on all the academic, housing and cultural information you'll need for your semester or year abroad.
4. IFSA-Butler will work with your host university to arrange makeup university orientation, class registration, etc.
If I have to leave the program early because of H1N1, will I receive a refund?
This depends on a number of factors, including how far into the semester you return home and how much money your host university is refunding to IFSA-Butler. IFSA-Butler generally pays tuition and housing fees in advance, so we are able to refund only the amount that the host university refunds to us.

If I have to leave the program early because of H1N1, will I still get credit?

As with fees, the amount of full or partial credit depends on when you returned home and how much work you accomplished in the semester. IFSA-Butler may be able to negotiate at least partial credit for a student who must depart early because of a serious medical condition like H1N1.
What can I do to avoid catching H1N1 when I'm abroad?
Carefully read all updates and heed all preventative measures from IFSA-Butler's resident staff. General precautions against H1N1 include:
1. Wash your hands with soap and hot water frequently, especially before eating and after using the toilet.
2. Use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. Use your shirt sleeve or elbow if no tissue is available
3. Regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces in your living area: doorknobs, desks, tables, keyboards, etc.
What do I do if I'm abroad and I get symptoms of H1N1?
1. Isolate yourself in your housing as quickly as possible to avoid spreading the virus!
2. Inform roommates or host family members as quickly as possible.
3. Contact IFSA-Butler's office in your host country. They can help you locate a university health center or nearby medical clinic and can also contact health officials on your behalf.
4. Our resident office will liaise with our U.S. staff to ensure that any H1N1 medical treatment is covered by the student insurance (included in your program fee).
5. Most likely your host university will have its own recommendations or even regulations intended to contain the virus. Please be responsible and courteous by following these rules! Some Southern Hemisphere students infected with H1N1 have been formally punished by their universities for leaving their dorm rooms or apartments while still contagious.

What if my roommate or someone in my host family catches H1N1?

Contact IFSA-Butler's resident office immediately! For students living with host families (Latin America and Egypt only), IFSA-Butler will arrange a temporary transfer to another host family or housing in a hotel until the family member is well. For students living in dormitories or apartments (English-speaking countries and Egypt only), IFSA-Butler will arrange different university or IFSA-Butler housing until it is safe to return.

Update Wednesday 15th July

To all Students and Parents,

As the Swine Flu pandemic continues to increase in its intensity we would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that we are closely monitoring the situation:

  • We have successfully completed two of our three orientations with only IFSA-Butler students due to arrive from Macquarie University, University of Sydney, Monash University, University of Melbourne on the morning of the 16th July. During our orientations we provide a comprehensive briefing to the students and also covers individual precautions and what to do if symptoms appear
  • A complete contingency has been prepared in the unlikely event that symptoms might appear at orientation (8-19th July).
  • Throughout their stay in Australia our students carry with them a contact card and are asked to notify the Sydney IFSA-butler office if any unexpected situation arises.
  • At the end of the orientation the students are transported to their accommodation - whether by IFSA-butler staff or the housing provider.
  • Each university and housing provider has their own contingency plan.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us or visit one of the links below

Once again, IFSA-Butler is committed to helping students feel safe and secure while abroad, so we are happy to discuss this situation further with you or your parents.

Sincerely,
Kate Hamilton
Director Australian Programs

Update Tuesday 26th June

To all students and parents.

As of 26th June there are ~2,000 total confirmed cases of Swine Flu. There have also been two deaths, however these were for patients whom already had cancer, thus they had a compromised immune system. Australia has now moved to a"protect phase". This new phase recognises that the infection with H1N1 Influenza 09 is not as severe as originally envisaged when the Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza (AHMPPI) was written in 2008 and that this new disease is mild in most cases, severe in some and moderate overall.

Nonetheless the Sydney office has been preparing a comprehensive contingency plan: This consists of co-ordinating our efforts with every service provider that we will use for our orientation, from the moment the students arrive at orientation to the moment they head for their University accommodation we do have back up plans and alternative course of action already prepared.

In addition we have confirmed with each university housing provider that they too have also put in place a specific plan for the highly unlikely event that a student has Swine Flu.

Once again, IFSA-Butler is committed to helping students feel safe and secure while abroad, so we are happy to discuss this situation further with you or your parents.

Sincerely,
Kate Hamilton
Director Australian Programs

Update Tuesday 25th May

To all students and parents.

Here in Australia as we now have 17 confirmed cases who have been quarantined. The most recent cases are in Victoria where 3 brothers returned to school after a visit to Los Angeles with undetected swine flu and promptly infected another child. The Victorian Health Department has now said that no child returning from the most notable countries of Mexico, US, Canada and Japan could return directly to school and had to wait a week before resuming. A Mexican women also in Victoria was diagnosed when she returned from visiting family in Mexico and there have been a couple of cases in the other States.

At the moment Health Authorities have a containment policy however they do think it will spread but not in such a way that will cause an epidemic. Their concerns lie in the fact that swine flu will coincide with the flu season and they have recommended that people get immunised against flu. They have also banned indiscriminate sales of Tami flu as people were 'stocking up' on the anti viral medicine and stocks in chemists were being depleted. They have now increased the overall stock of the medicine.

Also public health warnings have appeared in the newspapers and on billboards for people to take sensible precautions like covering their mouths and washing their hands frequently. Schools and universities have stepped up the campaign to ensure cleanliness and awareness too. Health Authorities are working closely with Customs in all the ports in Australia and have prevented the passengers of a liner from getting off in Sydney this week until all of them have been tested. Airports remain vigilant and are screening all passengers coming into the country with the infrared technology.

I have asked our Student Service Co-ordinators to be aware of any symptoms in students when they see them and to let the students know that a variety of measures are available to them including that if they are in doubt they should see a doctor. Students are all studying for exams at present and a warning about swine flu and the precautions they need to take should they want to travel to other countries on their way home.

Once again, IFSA-Butler is committed to helping students feel safe and secure while abroad, so we are happy to discuss this situation further with you or your parents.

Sincerely,
Kate Hamilton
Director Australian Programs

Update Thursday 30th April

In addition, our local office is staying in touch with U.S. consular authorities in each location and is passing along information to students from U.S. officials. At this point IFSA-Butler has no plans to close any of its programs due to this virus. We are relying heavily on World Health Organisation data and facts from other reliable sources, and we are recommending that our students, parents and study abroad colleagues do the same. Based on the information from health officials, we do not believe that the situation as it stands now warrants the closure of current or upcoming programs. However, rest assured that we do have contingency plans in place should events require that we return our students home early. We also have policies to protect students in the event that we do decide to close programs for future semesters for which we already have applicants. There are NO confirmed cases in Australia and Australia has arguably, the most stringent border and quarantine security regimes in the world, for example thermal imaging screening was introduced last night at all Customs and airport outlets around the country and all passengers are being screened. Additional security and bio-security measures have been put into place by the airlines to deal with waste and waste products from planes and for the decontamination of them during the cleaning processes. Moreover Australia has the highest per capita repository of antiviral and Tamiflu medication in the world and an advanced level of training and preparedness as a result of the SARS virus and the Asian Bird Flu situations over recent years. The Australian Government is taking the threat of swine flu very seriously and is actively working with World Health Organisation in the containment procedures with the Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon giving regular updates and press statements on the status of the pandemic.

Once again, IFSA-Butler is committed to helping students feel safe and secure while abroad, so we are happy to discuss this situation further with you or your parents.

Sincerely,
Kate Hamilton
Director Australian Programs.

Resources and Links:

Please feel free to contact the Sydney office of IFSA-Butler any questions or concerns:

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Phone: 02 9550 6337
International Phone: + 61 2 9550 6337

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