Ready or Not: Preparing for Pandemic Flu

A flu pandemic will happen – we can’t predict when or where

Objectives • • • • Understand what avian flu and pandemic flu are Describe three things you can do at home to prepare and/or protect yourself and your family Describe three things you can do at work to protect yourself and others Identify where to get accurate information about pandemic flu

Definitions • Seasonal Influenza • Avian Influenza • Pandemic Influenza

Seasonal Influenza • • • • • Caused by a virus Infects humans Usually occurs during the winter Easily spreads from person to person Vaccine is available

Seasonal Influenza •Incubation period is usually 1-3 days •Symptoms -Fever (often sudden), chills, headache, muscle aches, dry cough, sore throat, weakness, runny nose, may last three to five days or more -People can shed the virus without showing symptoms of infection

Seasonal Influenza • The virus can be spread: -Cough/Sneeze • Most important (within 3 feet) -Contact • Contaminated articles

Contact Droplet

The Burden of Seasonal Influenza • 250,000 to 500,000 deaths globally/yr • 36,000 deaths and > 200,000 hospitalizations/yr in U.S.

• $37.5 billion in economic costs/yr in U.S. related to influenza and pneumonia

Influenza and Other Species  Influenza viruses can infect a number of different species, including humans  Other species include: – Birds (Avian) – Pigs – Horses – Seals – Whales

Avian Influenza (“Bird Flu”) • Readily infectious between birds • Only rarely infects humans

How do humans get the bird “bird flu”?

Through close direct contact with poultry Not easily passed from bird to human

How a new human influenza virus is created

Situation Report: H5N1 Avian Flu in Humans

 Human infections associated with close direct contact with infected poultry  High mortality (above 50%)  Does not transmit from human to human efficiently so far

What is a pandemic?

• Outbreak is higher than usual number of cases occurring locally • Pandemic is a worldwide outbreak

Flu Pandemics in the 20 th Century

H3 H2 H1

1915 1925

1918 Spanish Flu H1N1

1935 1945 1955 1965 1975

1957 Asian Flu H2N2 1968 Hong Kong Flu H3N2

1985 1995 2005

Requirements for a pandemic •A new virus must emerge (people have not been exposed to it before) •Infection usually causes serious disease •The virus must spread as easily as seasonal influenza —by coughing and sneezing

Current Pandemic Status

Interpandemic Phase 1

No new virus in humans

Phase 2

No new virus in humans Animal viruses low risk to humans Animal viruses high risk to humans

Pandemic Alert Phase 3

New virus in humans Little/no spread among humans

Pandemic Phase 4

Small clusters, localized

Phase 5

Larger clusters, localized Limited spread among humans Limited spread among humans

Phase 6

Increased and sustained spread in general human population

Current Level

Planning Assumptions • • Time from infection to symptoms: – 1-4 days (average 2 days) Infectiousness: – Greatest during the first 2 days of illness may be infectious 1 day BEFORE symptoms – Infectious for about 5 or more days, children will shed the most virus – On average, each person will transmit influenza to two others

Planning Assumptions • In an affected community an outbreak may last 6-8 weeks • Absenteeism may be as high as 40% in a severe pandemic • High rates of illness may occur among school aged children

Things to think about during a pandemic: • • • • Need to create as safe a work place as possible Need healthy workers on the job to keep community functioning Need workers to remain home when ill Healthcare may look different during a pandemic

Health Protection Preparedness System  Local-state-federal

Healthcare Delivery System Local /State / Federal Public Health System Business & Workers Federal Partners Education System

 Domestic-international  Multisector integration  Public-private  Non-partisan  Animal-human  Health protection homeland security economic protection  It Takes a

NETWORK!

National Response • Development of a national response plan and checklists to help local communities plan • Investment of resources into vaccine development and medication reserves • Control of disease coming from outside the U.S. through isolation/quarantine

Local Response

Quarantine: Isolation: Well persons exposed to an Illness are kept separate from others to reduce disease spread Ill persons are kept separate from others to reduce disease spread with the illness

Community Control of Pandemic Influenza • • • • • • • • I solation of the ill Management of patient contacts Quarantine of small groups Cancellation of specific events Closure of specific facilities Snow days and self-shielding Closure of facilities and transportation Widespread community quarantine

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As an individual what can you do to protect yourself and your family?

Individual Activities • Social Distancing • Annual flu vaccine • Hand hygiene • Respiratory etiquette “Cover your cough”

Social Distancing • Three feet from other people • Limit face-to-face contact

 Prepare for an extended stay at home: Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables, and soups     Protein or fruit bars Dry cereal or granola Peanut butter or nuts Dried fruit      Crackers Canned juices Bottled water Canned or jarred baby food and formula Pet food

Examples of medical, health, and Soap and water emergency supplies Medicines for fever Fluids with electrolytes Garbage bags Batteries Portable radio Thermometer Prescribed medical supplies alcohol based hand wash Tissues, toilet paper, disposable diapers

Hygiene: Wash Your Hands • • • • • • Before, during, and after you prepare food Before you eat, and after you use the bathroom After handling animals or animal waste When your hands are dirty, and More frequently when someone in your home is sick Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth

Wash Your Hands Use soap and warm running water for At least 20 seconds

OR

Use an alcohol based hand sanitizer for at least 15 seconds .

If you become ill…

Sneezes and Coughs are powerful germ explosions

Cover Your Coughs and Sneezes

 Use a tissue or inside of your elbow when sneezing or coughing.

Stay home when you are sick

• Stay home if you have… A fever of 101 degrees If needed seek medical care

More information is available

Resources

• National Planning: www.pandemicflu.gov

• Bird and Animal Issues: www.usda.gov

• State Planning: http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/acd/flu/influenza.shtml

• Marion County Communicable Disease Info (503) 588-5621

“Pandemics are global in nature, but their impact is local. When the next pandemic strikes, as it surely will, it is likely to touch the lives of every individual, family, and community. Our task is to make sure that when this happens, we will be a Nation prepared.” Mike Leavitt, Secretary US Department of Health and Human Services