Launching the war against germs

UW is getting a gentler variation of the reminder you see in every restaurant washroom: “Employees must wash hands.”

Health services has sent more than 240 “healthy office kits” to departments across campus, with a couple of laminated posters (“Cover your cough . . . Wash your hands often”) and a squeeze-bottle of ethyl alcohol hand cleaner. Also included is a supply of disinfecting towelettes meant for wiping down doorknobs, keyboards and similar surfaces. They promise to kill off everything from salmonella to HIV.

Barbara Schumacher, director of health services, introduces the kits in a memo that went to department heads last week. “It is important,” she writes, “that our community continue to, and in some cases begin, the proper personal and business hygiene which will significantly decrease the spread of flu and other communicable diseases now and in the event of a pandemic. “

She says the kits are part of a “hygiene education campaign” that has grown out of UW’s planning to cope with a possible pandemic of bird flu or some similar contagious infection. The plan that was approved earlier this year called on her department to “immediately begin educating the UW community about hygiene practices”.

While the plan was still in preparation, she says, occupational health nurse Linda Brogden began educational sessions “about effective handwashing procedures and cough etiquette and to recommend cleaning of shared equipment to decrease the risk of transmission of communicable diseases including the flu. The original idea to supply kits to assist employees with cleaning was suggested by Kevin Stewart,” UW’s director of safety.

Schumacher adds that Central Stores “has been very cooperative in assisting us with packing and delivering the kits. . . . Immediately after the first kits were received, departments have been calling with requests for more posters and more cleaning supplies — this is affirmation that the healthy office kits are a valuable tool for our employees. Departments should be able to order more kits and replenish supplies through Central stores requisition as soon as new supplies are received.” Stores says the kit will be priced at $16.22, starting later this month.

Posters about hand-washing are also being distributed to students, Schumacher says, adding that health educator Sandra Gibson “provided the leadership for the development of the hygiene education material. The challenge was to create a package with consistent design and messaging which could be targeted to specific sites such as washrooms and to specific teachable moments such as orientation. Together with feedback from our nurses and the Student Life office we are thrilled with the results of Sandra's work.”

The memo to department heads, which arrived with the posters and sanitary supplies, advises that “Office equipment should be cleaned regularly; door knobs and other surfaces with frequent use and/or multiple users should be cleaned daily while single user and low intensity use equipment may be cleaned weekly. Health Services and the Safety Office recommend CaviWipes for cleaning of shared office equipment such as telephones, keyboards and door knobs. CaviWipes are for surface disinfection and not to be used as a hand towelette.

“Isagel antiseptic gel is recommended for hand cleansing when soap and warm, running water are not readily available. If hands are visibly dirty, soap and water should be used. Wash your hands regularly throughout the day, especially before handling and eating food and immediately after coughing, sneezing and using the toilet.”

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Student dental and health plans unite

The opt-out period started yesterday for health and dental insurance that’s being offered to UW students in a new format as of September 1.

Previously, members of the Federation of Students (undergraduates) and the Graduate Student Association had separate dental plans, administered by those groups, while extended health insurance was administered by the university for students at all levels. Now all the plans have been combined.

“These plans, now under the joint administration of the FEDS and GSA, will provide undergraduate students with new coverage for eyeglasses, contact lenses, eye exams and laser eye surgery,” says a memo that’s going to students by e-mail. “In addition, the Plan covers many important services not covered by basic healthcare (i.e. OHIP or UHIP), such as prescription drugs, dental care, travel health coverage, and more.

“Your plans give you the option to enroll your family (spouse and/or dependents) by paying an additional fee during the Change of Coverage Period which is September 11-29, 2006. Family enrolments can be completed online at www.studentcare.net or at the Health & Dental Plan Office, Student Life Centre Room 1121A. Previous enrolment forms available through the university cannot be accepted.

“If you already have extended health and dental benefits through a parent, spouse or employer’s plan, you can combine your plans for more complete coverage or you can opt out of the Health & Dental Plan during the Change-of-Coverage Period. All opt outs must occur online. Previous waiver forms available through the university cannot be accepted.

“Change of Coverage is for a full year (September 1, 2006, to August. 31, 2007). If you wish to enroll family members or opt out of the plans and are on an academic term in the Fall, you must make these changes during September 11-29, 2006.”

Questions can be answered at the health and dental plan office in the SLC, or at toll-free phone number (866) 369-8794.

“The FEDS [or GSA] is pleased to offer this valuable service,” says the e-mail memo, “and we hope you make the most out of it.”

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Just a few other notes today

Staff in the co-op education and career services department traditionally take some professional development time at the beginning of each academic term, and this time round two different events are involved. This morning, most people in CECS are attending a workshop on the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator, the well known categorization of psychological styles. Tomorrow, from 10:00 to 3:30, they'll attend a staff business meeting. Both days, "limited public services" can be expected in the Tatham Centre. Return-to-campus interviews, for co-op students who were on the job during the spring term, began on Monday and will resume Thursday.

If there's any one first-year student at UW who's well known to the public already, it will be Victor Ciesielski, who made his way from his home town of Cambridge to the faculty of applied health sciences with a detour to Ancaster to play in this year's Canadian Open, the country's top golf tournament. In the end he finished 72nd in the Open, but for a time he was leading all Canadian competitors in the event, with accomplishments that included a hole-in-one. He's on the front page of the Record again this morning, with word that he had trouble finding his first class in recreation and leisure studies yesterday, then headed for the Elmira Golf Club to try out for UW's eight-member golf team. Coach Dave Hollinger says there's a good chance he'll make the squad.

Another high achiever among UW's first-year students, by the way, is Richard Singh of mathematics, who is described as "the strongest teen in Canada" — national bench press champion as rated by the Canadian Powerlifting Union, and holder of 17 records including five at the national level. He'll be heading for the "sub-junior" world championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, this month, doubtless hoping to outdo his personal best of squatting 540 pounds (245 kilograms) in competition.

Gaby Jobst has been named head coach, and Judi Laprade assistant coach, as the volleyball Warriors, women's division, prepare for this season of play. . . . Volunteers are wanted at the UW Bike Centre in the Student Life Centre, and are invited to drop in today between 3:30 and 5 p.m. or e-mail uwbikecentre@yahoo.com. . . . Library books signed out by faculty, staff and graduate students on term loan before the beginning of August are due tomorrow (September 13) and should be returned or renewed. . . .

CAR

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