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Preparing for Pandemic Influenza
Your
Guide to Preparing for a Pandemic Flu
Your safety.
That’s why public health is working.
Because of the
potential for a pandemic flu, the Del Norte County Health and Social Services
Department wants you to know more about this possible health threat. This guide includes basic information about
pandemic flu, individual and family preparedness, as well as where you can get
more information.
To learn more about
us, visit
www.co.del-norte.ca.us or call
707.464.3191.
What You Should Know
Pandemic influenza
(flu) is a worldwide outbreak of a new flu virus for which there is little or
no immunity (protection) in the human population. Scientists and health professionals are
concerned that the current virus in birds (avian flu) may develop into the next
human pandemic. Pandemic flu can spread easily from person-to-person, cause
serious illness and death. When new pandemic flu spreads it creates a public
health emergency. This emergency will
not be like anything we’ve faced before. A pandemic will last longer, make more
people seriously ill and may cause more deaths than any other health crisis in
our time.
A long-lasting and widespread outbreak of the disease could mean changes
in many areas of our lives. Schools might
need to temporarily close. Public
transportation could be limited and air flights may be cancelled. Because so
many people will be ill, many employees will not be able to go to work and many
businesses and public services may have to close or limit hours.
It is very important
to plan ahead.
Federal,
state and local governments are taking steps to better prepare for and respond
to a pandemic.
Individuals also need to take
action to be
better prepared.
What You Can Do
Preparing for a
pandemic flu can reduce your chances of getting sick and help limit the spread
of disease.
Stay
healthy by eating a balanced diet, exercising daily, getting enough rest and
drinking fluids. And get your seasonal flu shot.
Stay
informed by keeping up-to-date on a possible pandemic by listening to radio
& television, reading news stories and checking out the web.
These common-sense steps can
help stop the spread of influenza germs:
Wash
hands frequently using soap and water.
Cover
coughs and sneezes with tissues. Cough or sneeze into your sleeve. Put used
tissues in the trash and then wash your hands.
If you get sick, stay home and away from others as much as
possible.
Don’t
send sick children to school.
Avoid
close contact with people who are sick.
Your Pandemic Flu Emergency Kit
As many as 1 in 4 people
could get sick during a pandemic, with many of them seriously ill. Services and
supplies we count on everyday may not be available. Every individual and family
could be on their own, without care, for quite a
while. This makes being prepared even more important.
Because everyday life may be
different during a pandemic flu and services could be disrupted, make sure you
have these items in your emergency preparedness kit.
Two weeks
worth of food for you and your family. This should be food that does not
need refrigeration. Foods like canned
meats and fish, beans, soups, fruits, and dry goods like flour, salt, and
sugar, are good choices.
Water
stored in sealed, unbreakable containers. If water service is disrupted, plan
on one gallon for each person for each day, for up to two weeks.
Two weeks worth of prescription medicines.
Two weeks worth of ibuprofen or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for
each person in the house for fever and pain. A two-week supply of cough medicine.
Rehydration Solution, for example Pedialyte for kids,
Gatorade for adults and teens.
Please see the box below for instructions to make a rehydration solution for
adults and teens. For children, especially infants and toddlers, a store-bought
solution is strongly recommended.
Cell phone and charger.
Supply of face masks and plastic gloves. These will help protect you, especially if you are taking
care of family members who are sick with the disease.
Disinfectants and chlorine bleach.
Rehydration Solution
for Adults & Teens
4 cups of clean water
2 Tablespoons of
sugar
½ teaspoon of salt
Mix all the
ingredients until the sugar disappears. You can drink the solution at room
temperature.
Please note: Do not
boil the solution because that will reduce the solution’s helpfulness.
About
Avian Flu
Avian influenza (flu)
is also known as bird flu. A non-human flu virus causes this infection in
birds. Bird flu is very contagious among
birds and can make some domesticated birds – like chickens and ducks – very
sick and can kill them.
Bird flu viruses do
not usually infect humans, but this latest outbreak of bird flu has infected
people, mainly in Southeast Asian countries. When the illness infects people,
it is very serious and over half the people sick with bird flu have died. It
has not been found in birds or people in the United States
(as of
Winter 2006).
People get bird flu from contact with infected
birds. Infected birds shed the virus in
saliva and feces droppings. A person can
catch bird flu when an infected chicken coughs or sneezes onto a person’s face,
or when a person breathes in bird dropping particles.
People may also get
the virus by eating undercooked poultry.
You cannot get the virus by eating properly cooked poultry or eggs so be
sure your poultry is fully cooked.
If you were exposed
to bird flu, you could have symptoms for up to 14 days. Symptoms usually
include the flu-like symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches,
shortness of breath and even eye infections. Serious
cases of bird flu cause life-threatening breathing problems including
pneumonia. It can even cause death.
Healthcare providers
will treat patients depending on their symptoms. Depending on how serious the symptoms,
treatment may include supportive care, use of anti-viral medicines, or even
hospitalization.
Scientists and health professionals are concerned about
bird flu because the current virus in birds may change and develop into a virus
that will spread easily from one person to another, causing the next pandemic
in humans. Because it is not possible to
prevent or stop a pandemic once it begins, the pandemic flu can cause serious
illness and death.
There is no vaccine
for bird flu. To protect yourself against bird flu, health officials recommend
you take the same steps you would to protect yourself against any other flu or
cold. (See What You Can Do).
Learn
More
Keep up-to-date on a
possible pandemic flu by listening to radio and television, and reading news
stories about pandemic flu.
Go to
www.cdc.gov for
general information about pandemic flu and other health related information.
Go to
www.redcross.org for all the information
you will need to make your own emergency preparation plan.
Go to
www.pandemicflu.gov for updates on
national and international pandemic flu.
For Travel Information and Warnings
Go to
www.cdc.gov/travel/destinat.htm
for health related travel information.
Go to
www.who.int/ for health related travel
information and international disease outbreak information.
Go to
http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html
for general travel warnings.
During a Pandemic Flu
Here are some things you will need to know about during a
pandemic flu. Please remember,
information will change during the pandemic and it will be important to keep
up-to-date and follow public health orders.
Public Health Instructions
Throughout a pandemic
flu you may be asked or required to do things to help hold back the spread of
the disease in our community. If local public health officials or your
healthcare provider ask you to take certain actions, follow those instructions.
Here are some
examples of what you may be asked or required to do.
When you are
sick, stay home. Children
should not go to school if they are sick. Staying home will be absolutely
necessary during a pandemic flu to limit the spread of the disease.
Even though you may
be healthy, you could be asked to stay away from gatherings of people such as
sporting events, movies and festivals. During a pandemic flu, these kinds of
events could be cancelled because large gatherings of people help spread the
flu virus.
Isolation
and Quarantine are public health actions used to contain the spread of a
contagious disease. If asked, it will be
important to follow Isolation and/or Quarantine instructions.
Isolation
is for people who are already ill. When
someone is isolated, they are separated from people who are healthy. Having the sick person isolated (separated
from others) can help to slow or stop the spread of disease. People who are isolated can be cared for in
their homes, in hospitals, or in other healthcare facilities. Isolation is usually voluntary, but local,
state and federal government have the power to require the isolation of sick
people to protect the public.
Quarantine
is for people who have been exposed to the disease but are not sick. When someone is placed in quarantine, they
are also separated from others. Even though the person is not sick at the
moment, they were exposed to the disease and may still become infectious and
then spread the disease to others. Quarantine can help to slow or stop this
from happening. States generally have the power to enforce quarantines within
their borders.
Prevent the Spread of Disease at Home
If you or a household member becomes
ill during a pandemic flu and are being cared for at home, follow these
instructions to control the spread of disease in the home.
Isolate the ill person WITHIN your home.
The person
who is ill should not leave the house unless they are being taken to a medical
appointment. The sick person will have to stay home for two weeks after their
symptoms begin, even if they are feeling better. Do not have visitors while the
person is sick.
Designate a
room(s) only for the ill person(s) so they are separated from other
household members. The room(s) should have a door that can be closed.
The ill
person should wear a protective mask when anyone is in the same room or car.
People in the room or car with the ill person should also wear a protective mask.
Disposable gloves should be used when cleaning or disinfecting any room or area
where the sick person has been.
Wash hands with soap or use
alcohol-based hand rubs.
Everyone in the household - and it is important to remind children
- should wash their hands with soap between contacts with others, before
preparing food, and before eating.
Wash hands after touching tissues or surfaces soiled
with saliva or nose drainage.
Keep the household environment
clean.
On a daily basis, clean surfaces and commonly shared items like
microwaves, refrigerator handles, phones, remote controls, doorknobs and
handles, toilet seats and handles, faucets, light switches and toys. Use a
labeled household disinfectant or chlorine bleach mixture (see
below).
Store brand chlorine bleach can be used as a
disinfectant by mixing ¼ cup chlorine bleach with 1 gallon of cool water.
Cover noses and mouths when sneezing or coughing.
Remind children and others
to
cover their noses and mouths with a tissue when sneezing or
coughing, or to sneeze or cough into their sleeves. Put used tissues in a
wastebasket, and then wash hands with soap or use an alcohol-based rub.
Even
when a person is wearing a mask, they should cough or sneeze into their sleeve.
Watch all household members for
symptoms of respiratory illness.
Contact your healthcare provider if a fever or other symptoms such
as chills, cough, sore throat, headache, or muscle aches develop.
Make sure supplies are on hand.
Keep supplies of masks, gloves, soap, tissues,
paper towels and cleaning supplies on hand.
Make sure all sinks and restrooms are stocked with
soap and paper towels.
Make sure that tissues are available in all
bedrooms and common areas like living, dining, family, and computer rooms.
Important Phone Numbers
The following are
numbers for non-emergency calls and can provide disaster related assistance and
preparedness information.
Del Norte County
Office of Emergency Services 707.464.7207
Del Norte County
Public Health Information
707.464.3191
American Red Cross
Del Norte County Chapter
707 464 2277
CalTrans (highway
information) 1.800.427.7623
Please contact the
Del Norte Red Cross about your Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).
Your Own Important Numbers
Write down important numbers and keep them close. These include friends and
family home and cellular numbers, your doctor or clinic, and your children’s
school.
Getting Information
Local radio and
television stations, as well as a number of web sites, will provide information
during a pandemic flu. In some instances,
specific emergency instructions will be broadcast by:
KCRE – FM 94.3
KPOD – FM 97.9
KHSR - FM 91.9
During a pandemic flu, emergency instructions may include ways to protect your
health, as well as closings of schools and businesses, and canceling events.
Where to Find Emergency Medical Care
During a pandemic
flu, it will be important NOT to go to the hospital except in the case of a
medical emergency. Hospitals will be
overwhelmed with patients during a pandemic and many sick people may have to
be cared for at home or at a non-hospital location.
HOSPITAL
Sutter
Coast
Hospital
800 E. Washington Blvd.
Crescent City, CA
95531
707-464-8511
www.suttercoast.org
Call 911
only in the event of a serious, life-threatening emergency. But remember,
because a pandemic flu could be bigger than any other health emergency, 911
may be overwhelmed by the number of calls.
Seasonal Flu vs. Pandemic Flu
There are some key
differences in how seasonal flu happens and how a pandemic flu happens.
Seasonal Flu
Pandemic Flu
Usually follows a
predictable pattern, Doesn’t
happen often – only three times in
typically every year in the winter. the 20th century. The last time was 1968.
There is usually some
protection built up Since this new pandemic flu hasn’t been
in a person from having the flu
before. seen before, there is no or little immunity.
Healthy adults are
not usually at risk for any Healthy
people may be at risk for
serious complications. serious complications.
The medical community
can usually meet The medical community will be
public and patient needs. overwhelmed.
Vaccines are
developed before the flu Vaccine
developed early may not be
season, based on known virus strains. effective. Once an
effective vaccine is
developed,
it may not be available for several months.
Supplies of antiviral
drugs are usually May
not have any effective antiviral drugs or
available. the supply may be limited.
Average number of
deaths in the US The
number of deaths would be much
is about 36,000 a year. higher, worldwide it could be millions.
Regular flu symptoms:
fever, cough, Symptoms
would be more serious
runny nose, and muscle pain. and there would be more medical
complications.
A small impact on the
community with Big impact on the community. There
sick people staying home from work could be travel restrictions, school
closings,
and school. limited business hours or closings, and canceling of public
gatherings.
Small impact on US and world
economy.
Could have a big impact on US
and world
economy.
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