Pandemic Influenza Preparedness
What You Should Know about Using Facemasks and Respirators During a Flu Pandemic
This fact sheet provides information about the use of facemasks and respirators in public places during an influenza (flu) pandemic. It does not address the use of facemasks and respirators in the workplace or in healthcare settings.
Individual and community planning are essential to minimize the impact of a potential pandemic in Kent County. If you haven’t done so already, you can begin your planning efforts with the assistance of the resources and tools assembled below. The Kent County Health Department has also prepared a community planning guide to provide important information on pandemic influenza and assist you in your planning efforts.
Understanding the Similarities and Differences Between Seasonal, Avian, and Pandemic Influenza
It is important to gain a better understanding of seasonal, avian, and pandemic influenza. This table gives an overview of the similarities and differences between seasonal, avian, and pandemic influenza.
Resources and Tools for Specific Groups: Businesses | Community | Faith-Based Organizations | Health Care Providers | Schools
Agriculture/Food: Poultry | Game Birds | Food
A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza A virus emerges for which there is little or no immunity in the human population, begins to cause serious illness and then spreads easily person-to-person worldwide. Many scientists believe it is a matter of time until the next influenza pandemic occurs. However, the timing and severity of the next pandemic cannot be predicted. Influenza pandemics occurred three times in the past century — in 1918-19, 1957-58, and 1968-69.
Although it is difficult to predict if and when a pandemic might occur, what we do know is that it is important to be prepared if it does indeed occur. The following resources provide information on pandemic influenza as well as easy tips on preparedness for businesses, individuals and families, faith-based organizations, home health care providers, schools, hunters, and the agriculture and food industries.
General Information
Frequently Asked Questions about Pandemic Influenza
Provides answers to basic questions to provide more information on what a pandemic is, why health professionals are concerned, and why planning and preparedness are so important.
Resources and Tools for Specific Groups
Businesses
Business Planning Checklist (PDF 282 KB)
In the event of pandemic influenza, businesses will play a key role in protecting employees' health and safety as well as limiting the negative impact to the economy and society. Planning for pandemic influenza is critical. Companies that provide critical infrastructure services, such as power and telecommunications, also have a special responsibility to plan for continued operation in a crisis and should plan accordingly. As with any catastrophe, having a contingency plan is essential.
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have developed this checklist to assist businesses in planning for a pandemic outbreak as well as for other comparable catastrophes.
Guidance for Protecting Workers Against Avian Flu
This document provides guidance for workers in the following industries: farm workers/animal handlers, laboratory workers, medical workers, food handlers, airline flight crews, and travelers.
Community
Pandemic Flu Planning Checklist for Individuals and Families
This document gives information on how individuals and families can prepare now if an influenza pandemic ever occurs. The document had information on how to prevent the spread of infection and includes a list of items you should have on hand if you ever need to stay for an extended period of time in your home. Also includes a family emergency health information sheet and an emergency contact form that should be filled out in preparation for any emergency.
Pandemic Influenza Planning Guide for Individuals and Families
Provides general information on the difference between seasonal influenza and pandemic influenza, the importance of preparation, the potential challenges we’d face if a pandemic does occur, prevention and treatment information and answers to frequently asked questions.
Faith-Based Organizations
Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Checklist (PDF)
This checklist provides guidance religious organizations (churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, etc.), social service agencies that are faith-based, and community organizations in developing and improving influenza pandemic response and preparedness plans. Many of the points suggested here can improve your organization’s ability to protect your community during emergencies in general.
Health Care Providers
Home Health Care Services Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have developed this checklist to help public and private organizations that provide home health care services assess and improve their preparedness for responding to pandemic influenza. Home health agencies will likely be called upon to provide care for patients who do not require hospitalization for pandemic influenza, or for whom hospitalization is not an option because hospitals have reached their capacity to admit patients. These agencies may become overburdened very quickly and shortages of personnel and supplies for providing home health care may occur. Home health care organizations can use this tool to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current planning efforts.
Long-Term Care and Other Residential Facilities Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed this checklist to help long-term care and other residential facilities assess and improve their preparedness for responding to pandemic influenza. Based on differences among facilities (e.g., patient/resident characteristics, facility size, scope of services, hospital affiliation), each facility will need to adapt this checklist to meet its unique needs and circumstances. This checklist should be used as one tool in developing a comprehensive pandemic influenza plan.
Hospital Preparedness Checklist (PDF)
This checklist is provided to help facilities assess their current level of readiness to deal locally with an influenza pandemic. It should be used in conjunction with supplement 3 of the Department of Health and Human Services Pandemic Influenza Plan (PDF). The focus is on planning during the Interpandemic Period for: pandemic influenza surveillance, decision-making structures for responding to a pandemic, hospital communications, education and training, patient triage, clinical evaluation and admission, facility access, occupational health, distribution of vaccines and antiviral drugs, surge capacity, and mortuary issues. The activities suggested are intended to be synergistic with those of other pandemic influenza planning efforts, including state preparedness plans.
Medical Offices and Clinics Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
Planning for pandemic influenza is critical for ensuring a sustainable healthcare response. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed this checklist to help medical offices and ambulatory clinics assess and improve their preparedness for responding to pandemic influenza. This checklist is modeled after the above pandemic preparedness checklist for hospitals. Many of the issues included in the checklist are also relevant to other outpatient settings that provide episodic and chronic healthcare services (e.g., dental, podiatric, and chiropractic offices, ambulatory surgery centers, hemodialysis centers). Given the variety of healthcare settings, individual medical offices and clinics may need to adapt this checklist to meet their unique needs.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed this checklist to help emergency medical services (EMS) and non-emergent (medical) transport organizations assess and improve their preparedness for responding to pandemic influenza. EMS organizations will be involved in the transport of acutely ill patients with known or suspected pandemic influenza to emergency departments; some of these patients might require mechanical ventilation for life support and/or other lifesaving interventions. Non-emergent (medical) transport organizations will be called upon to transport recovering pandemic influenza patients to their home, residential care facility, or possibly to alternate care sites set up by state or local health departments.
Schools
Child Care and Preschool Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
Child care and preschool programs can help protect the health of their staff and the children and families they serve. Interruptions in child care services during an influenza (flu) pandemic may cause conflicts for working parents that could result in high absenteeism in workplaces. Some of that absenteeism could be expected to affect personnel and workplaces that are critical to the emergency response system. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer this checklist to help programs prepare for the effects of a flu pandemic. Many of these steps can also help in other types of emergencies.
School District (K-12) Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
Developed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this checklist can assist local educational agencies in developing and/or improving plans to prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic.
Colleges and Universities Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
In the event of an influenza pandemic, colleges and universities will play an integral role in protecting the health and safety of students, employees and their families. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed this checklist as a framework to assist colleges and universities to develop and/or improve plans to prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic.
Agriculture/Food
Poultry
Michigan Emergency Avian Disease Manual (MS Word 20 Pages)
Provides information on avian disease alerting system including important phone numbers. Describes Michigan avian disease program and lists reportable avian diseases. Defines stages of poultry disease emergency and lists disease priorities. Discusses actions to be taken by regulatory officials and growers/producers within disease priority classifications. Includes numerous suggestions for avian disease prevention and guidelines for cleaning and disinfection.
Avian Influenza Protecting Poultry Workers at Risk
This Safety and Health Information Bulletin describes measures for protecting poultry workers when an avian influenza outbreak occurs. It presents basic information about avian influenza and describes measures for minimizing exposure to the virus. Links to Internet sites are provided for those wanting more detailed information on avian influenza, biosecurity measures, and personal protective equipment. This document complements avian population disease control and eradication strategies of state governments, industry, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Biosecurity Tips: 6 Ways to Prevent Poultry Disease
Common sense description of biosecurity and simple steps you can take to protect your birds from “outside” disease. Your property needs to be a “safe” area and biosecurity practices are the barriers you can use to keep disease out!
In simple terms, biosecurity is informed common sense. Don’t bring germs to your birds and don’t bring your birds to germs. Germs are persistent, invisible killers that can survive in soil, droppings, and debris waiting to hitch a ride into your backyard and into your flock.
Game Birds
What Hunters Should Know About Avian Influenza (PDF)
Quick facts on avian influenza and short section with Frequently Asked Questions. Provides precautions hunters can use to prevent catching avian influenza and other diseases from game birds. Contains links for more information.
Food
Guidance for Food Handlers (excerpt from)
In general, good hygiene practices during handling of raw poultry meat and usual recommended cooking practices for poultry products would lower any potential risk to insignificant levels. Eggs from infected poultry could also be contaminated with the virus and therefore care should be taken in handling shell eggs or raw egg products. Some, more limited, knowledge is available about the effect of food handling and treatment on the influenza virus. While freezing and refrigeration would not substantially reduce the concentration or virulence of viruses on contaminated meat, proper cooking kills such viruses. In general, chicken should be cooked to reach an internal temperature of 180ºF. Employers should continuously emphasize the importance of good hygiene practices during handling including hand washing, prevention of cross-contamination and thorough cooking of poultry products.
Avian Influenza and Food Safety (PDF)
PDF slide presentation on avian influenza and food safety. Describes avian influenza and food processing and human risk.
