Cancellations/Closures/Restrictions
- The University will comply with governmental agency guidance and directives regarding restricting operations. New York City will act in accordance with the "Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan" developed by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH).
- The University may cancel events or suspend activities at its discretion in order to address staffing issues or to reduce the possibility of spread of infection. Decisions regarding such cancellations will depend on the specific characteristics and epidemiology of the pandemic strain, as well as other considerations. Key decision points are being developed to guide the executive leadership who may have to make decisions about curtailing public events or suspending operations.
- The University will follow guidance and directives from city and state agencies for school closures in regard to operation of the Child and Family Center. It is anticipated that in the event of an epidemic or pandemic of influenza, city and state agencies will call for the closure of childcare centers and schools. Note that school closures at the peak of influenza outbreaks are usually a response to high student and/or staff absenteeism, not an effort to prevent transmission. The University reserves the right to restrict or suspend operations of the Child and Family Center at its discretion.
- In the context of a pandemic, the University may declare the equivalent of a "snow day" to reduce the number of people on campus and limit contact among people. This is referred to as voluntary social distancing. The University may seek to enhance the effectiveness of social distancing by asking individuals to voluntarily undertake a short-term, home curfew or "self-shield." Self-shielding refers to self-imposed exclusion from infected persons or those perceived to be infected (e.g., by staying home from work or school during an outbreak). The University reserves the right to restrict access to campus to those employees identified as performing essential functions.
- Travel advisories for people traveling to and from affected areas may be issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) during early stages of a pandemic. The decision to issue such advisories is likely to be based on the presence of local cases and level of activity in an affected region. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will also provide travel advisories.
- Travel restrictions may be warranted as part of the overall response to a pandemic flu. The University will communicate such restrictions through existing methods, including the University's critical information webpage (www.rockefeller.edu/critical). For your business travel planning purposes, especially to locations that carry a higher risk of acquiring an infectious disease, please note that the insurance carrier that provides business travel coverage for University employees excludes payment for medical services related to treatment for infectious diseases acquired during business travel (some specific exceptions apply). Employees who require medical care for infectious disease treatment acquired during business travel will need to seek coverage through their personal healthcare coverage. More information about business travel insurance and personal healthcare insurance is available from Human Resources/Benefits at ext. 7788.
- For individuals traveling to areas where outbreaks of influenza have been reported, we recommend that you visit the CDC and WHO websites for information on travel advisories and restrictions for those areas. We also recommend that you speak with your personal healthcare provider regarding the advisability of taking a supply of antiviral medication, e.g., Tamiflu, with you on your travels. Note that US Embassies in these areas will have medical supplies only for their own employees and will not supply antivirals to non-government citizens in case of an outbreak.
