Pandemic Flu
4 Things that you can do now to Prepare for Pandemic Influenza
Pandemic influenza is a global outbreak of disease that occurs when a new influenza A virus appears in humans. The new flu spreads easily from person to person, and travels worldwide. Because humans have never had this new flu, there is almost no natural protection. The result can be serious illness and death - much more than with the seasonal flu that happens every winter.
Here are four things you can do to prepare for an influenza pandemic:
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1. Start healthy habits now.
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2. Have an emergency plan for yourself and your family.
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3. Build a home emergency kit.During a pandemic, stores may be closed or out of supplies. It is important to keep extra supplies on hand for a pandemic and for other types of emergencies.
Learn how to build a disaster supplies kit from the American Red Cross. |
4. Stay home when you're sick.If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. Speak to your employer about working from home when you're sick, if possible. |
Flu Terms Defined
Seasonal (or common) flu is a respiratory illness that can be transmitted person to person. Most people have some immunity, and a vaccine is available.
Avian (or bird) flu is caused by influenza viruses that occur naturally among birds. The H5N1 variant, currently spreading throughout the world in birds, is deadly to domestic fowl and can be transmitted from birds to humans. There is no human immunity and no vaccine is available.
Pandemic flu is human flu that causes a global outbreak, or pandemic, of illness. Because there is little natural immunity, the disease can spread easily from person to person, and is likely to cause serious illness. Currently, there is not a pandemic of flu.
What's the Difference between Seasonal Flu and Pandemic Flu?
What is Sonoma County Public Health doing to address pandemic flu?
In Sonoma County, pandemic flu planning efforts have been underway for several years, as part of our public health preparedness effort.
- The Sonoma County Department of Health Services has a task force consisting of experts from the fields of public health, law enforcement, fire protections, the private health care industry, businesses, the American Red Cross, and government partners, to assess the health-related emergency planning needs for our county, including pandemic influenza.
- A second task force called the Infectious Disease Task Force, made up of local infectious disease experts, advises the Department on issues relating to infectious disease, including pandemic influenza.
- An influenza pandemic response plan (pdf) was published in 2004, and updated in 2008, that serves as a template for the County's response to pandemic flu. The plan is regularly exercised and refined.
Other planning activities include:
Community Mitigation: If we experience a pandemic influenza, large numbers of people are expected to get very ill. At least for the first several months of such a health emergency, it's likely that there will not be an effective vaccine available. Our best chance to stay healthy and limit the impact of the disease on our community is use non-medical measures to keep people from spreading the illness. We might also need to dismiss students from school for weeks or months, limit public transportation, use face masks, isolate sick individuals, and use other strategies to stop the infection from spreading. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have developed guidance for responding to a pandemic influenza in the absence of a vaccine or sufficient effective medical interventions.
ProviderNet: Public Health wants your medical provider to have the latest clinical information in the event of a pandemic influenza or whenever we face a public health threat. In October 2007 we launched a new webpage called ProviderNet, that will become active in the event of a health disaster and will be available to those who need the expert support to treat their patients.
Public Health News and Alerts: This is a bulletin sent to subscribers to keep them informed of the most up to date information on issues that affect the health of the public. To receive email notifications, sign up by visiting the News and Alerts webpage.
Learn More
Sonoma County Employers' Coalition on Health
State of California Latest Pandemic Flu Information
State of California Avian Flu News Briefs
Pandemic Flu: Worldwide Preparedness
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For more information, please contact:
Public Health Preparedness
625 5th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Phone: 707-565-4496
Fax: 707-565-4411