Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
In the event any public health
organization (e.g. Butler county department of health, the Ohio department of
health, the U.S. department of health and human services, or the center for
disease control) determines a public health emergency exists at Miami
university or threatens members of its community or to the surrounding
population (e.g. an outbreak of an infectious disease that poses a threat to
the health or safety of the university community), the president and/or the
president's designees, may take such actions as are appropriate to protect the
health and safety of the university's students and staff. Subject to the
limitations imposed by law, the provisions of this policy take precedence over
any inconsistent provisions of university policy to the contrary.
(A)
Infectious
diseases include:
(1)
Pandemic influenza
(2)
Meningococcal
meningitis
(3)
Tuberculosis (TB)
(4)
Measles
(5)
Mumps
(6)
Hepatitis A
(7)
Bioterrorism
event - using a communicable agent
(B)
Other less
serious infectious diseases, such as seasonal influenza, and community acquired
mrsa skin infections will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
(C)
In the event of a
public health emergency:
(1)
the university will, to the extent applicable,
implement the directives of the public health organization including but not
limited to isolation and quarantine measures, treatment of patients and
prophylactic treatment of contacts;
(2)
the university
will, in accordance with law, share information with the public health
organization to assist in the tracking, investigation, treatment and
containment associated with the public health emergency. On-campus medical
providers will not discuss a student's or staff member's diagnosis with any
other person without explicit authorization of the patient except as required
by law;
(3)
Where the public health agency recommends the exclusion
from the classroom, workplace or extracurricular activities of persons who are
infected with a communicable disease or who are at risk of infection, the
university may implement those recommendations as though they were
directives.
(4)
Where the public health agency recommends vaccination
of persons who are infected with a communicable disease or who are at risk of
infections, the university may condition continued attendance, residence or
participation in instructional activities or continued admission to assigned
workplaces upon receipt of such recommended vaccinations.
(D)
Pre-emptive actions taken in reliance on reasonable medical
judgment.
In the event that circumstances arise
that require immediate action without time for consultation with the public
health agency, or in which the public health agency guidance is directed
primarily to individuals rather than to institutions, the president and/or his
designees may institute temporary measures to restrict students, employees or
visitors from participation in institutional activities, including regularly
assigned employment responsibilities, if it is determined on the basis of
reasonable medical judgment that the individual's continued participation in
those activities poses an unacceptable risk of infectious transmission to
others.
(1)
For purposes of this section, reasonable medical
judgment must be tendered by a physician licensed to practice in the state of
Ohio, and
(2)
It must be based upon due consideration, given the
state of medical knowledge, about:
(a)
The nature of the risk
(b)
Duration of the
risk
(c)
The severity of the risk
(d)
The probabilities
the disease will be transmitted and cause substantial harm to a significant
number of infected persons.
(E)
Persons displaced
by pre-emptive response measures.
Where measures undertaken pursuant to
this policy prevent students from participating in regularly assigned
instructional or extracurricular activities, or employees from reporting to
their regularly assigned workplaces, the university will make reasonable
efforts to provide alternative means to pursue educational or extracurricular
activities or to carry out assigned employment responsibilities.
(F)
University action following notification of a public health
emergency.
In consultation, with appropriate
health center and public health officials, the president or his designees will
develop a treatment and containment of infection plan. The plan will
include:
(1)
Outbreak containment measures
(2)
Isolation and
quarantine recommendations
(3)
Treatment of
patients and prophylactic treatments of contacts
(4)
Necessary
immunization of students and staff
(5)
A communication
plan for keeping the community informed
(G)
Health center
director responsibilities- the health center director will:
(1)
Implement the
treatment and containment of infection plan in consultation with the
appropriate university personnel and/or public health
organizations.
(2)
Serve as communication interface with the university
community for updated disease information and treatment postings to university
websites.
(3)
Collaborate with university personnel and county /state
health agencies to determine if isolation and/or quarantine are
necessary.
(4)
Assure compliance of state required documentation for
disease notification and case investigation.
(5)
Coordinate
additional staffing measures and/or extended hours of operation of health
services. Organize prophylactic treatment and immunization delivery as
requested by Butler county health department or as deemed necessary by the
university.
(6)
Assist in developing appropriate protocols or policies
to allow affected student(s) and staff to return to campus. Depending on the
nature of the outbreak, students or staff may be required to be medically
cleared by the health center to return to campus or present written
documentation from his/her treating physician or primary care provider
documenting that the individual is medically cleared (i.e., is no longer
infectious to others) and is able to return to school or work as of a specified
date.
Replaces: 3339-3-07
