September 29, 2006

Dear Members of the Babson Graduate Student Community;

As part of the College’s pandemic planning effort, we are providing you with some important information based on our partnership with local emergency planning authorities. We prompt you to think about and plan for this contingency not to invoke panic in you or your family. We do it only to increase awareness and overall preparedness for individuals and our community.

As you know, avian influenza(subtype H5N1), also known as the “bird flu”, is a hot topic in the media.  Despite the fact that millions of birds, domestic and wild, have been culled(picked out), the infection has been persistent in the bird population and continues to spread along the flight paths of migratory birds. Most of the laboratory confirmed cases in humans have resulted from direct contact with infected birds with only a few isolated cases occurring from human to human contact.

Public health authorities, and government officials have expressed concern that a pandemic could besparked by the virus if it mutates in a way that allows for sustainable transmission from person to person. The World Health Organization and U.S.health authorities are making preparations in the event a pandemic occurs and has urged all communities to do so. We are following this recommendation and making plans to prepare our campus community as well.

Over the past few months, thePandemic Planning Task Force has been developing appropriate plans for the College.  As part of that work, we have been sharing our plans with local and state public health officials, looking for feedback to ensure that our planning is aligned with federal, state and local planning efforts and mandates.

One of the consistent themes we continue to hear is the importance for individuals and families to take proactive steps to prepare for the possible onset of a pandemic. Currently, public health authorities are stating that the best course of action for a pandemic onset is social distancing.  Essentially this means that you need to reduce (to the extent possible) the amount of contact you have with other individuals to avoid the possible transmission of the virus.  Consequently, it is important that you plan accordingly with your family. To assist you in this effort, we are forwarding three documents that have been created by government agencies. Please use these documents (attached) to guide your conversations and planning with your family.

One of our challenges at Babson is creating a response plan that takes into account the global diversity of our population as well as the residential component of our campus community.  In the face of a pandemic influenza, it is possible that the College may close until such time as the public health crisis is under control.  The decision to close the College is likely to be made by government officials but could be made by Babson depending on the circumstances.  Clearly, such a decision would only be made if it was determined to be in the best interests of the health and safety of our community members. In the case of a College closing, it would require that all students and staff vacate the campus. Therefore, as a responsible precaution, we encourage each of you to identify your own individual relocation plan.

For those who live locally, you are likely to simply return to your home. For those who do not reside locally, we encourage you to identify one or more relocation options that will provide you with a place to reside until such time as the public health crisis is addressed. Consider finding a “buddy” or “buddies” within your friends and family network; roommates, classmates, family members, colleagues, guardians and friends. Be sure you talk with them and ideally, with their families to ensure there is mutual agreement. Communicate your plan to your family and provide them with the name and contact information of the individuals you have identified as viable options.

We also encourage you to ensure your emergency contact information is updated and that the appropriate people are listed as emergency contacts with current cell phone numbers. You can update your information by going to the Babson portal and clicking on“biography” and then “edit”.

For official information and a current assessment of the avian flu, you should rely only on official government sources. You can access such sources and additional information on Babson’s planning efforts at http://www3.babson.edu/Offices/health.

Sincerely,

TimMann                                                        Sharon Yardley
Dean – StudentAffairs                                    Director –Health Services        
Co-Chair, Pandemic Planning TaskForce         Co-Chair, Pandemic TaskForce