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but the threat is still just as real as ever. "The situation in Southeast Asia right now is the most significant setup for a very serious public health crisis that I've seen in my 30 years in this business. We're sitting on a time bomb." -- Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director, Center for Infectious Disease, University of Minnesota |
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( From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ) "A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity, and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily person-to-person, causes serious illness, and can sweep across the country and around the world in very short time." "It is difficult to predict when the next influenza pandemic will occur or how severe it will be. Wherever and whenever a pandemic starts, everyone around the world is at risk. Countries might, through measures such as border closures and travel restrictions, delay arrival of the virus, but cannot stop it." "An especially severe influenza pandemic could lead to high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts can range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery."
U.S. GOVERNMENT URGES PANDEMIC FLU PREPARATIONS By Will Dunham (Reuters) June 13, 2007 WASHINGTON: Health and Human Services Department officials met with about 100 representatives of various organizations as part of an effort to convince Americans that the threat from pandemic flu is real and advance preparations can save lives. The H5N1 avian influenza virus, which has killed 190 people among more than 300 known cases since 2003, is considered the most likely candidate to cause a pandemic if it acquires the ability to infect people easily. Business groups, insurers, school administrators, civic clubs, the American Red Cross, medical groups, and Roman Catholic, Baptist, Mormon, Lutheran, Jewish, Buddhist and Muslim representatives were among those taking part. Health and Human Services officials appealed to them to encourage Americans to take steps like storing extra food and supplies in the event an outbreak forces people to stay home for long periods, practice proper hand washing to cut the chances of spreading the virus, and stay home when ill to avoid infecting others. "Preparing for an influenza pandemic is a shared responsibility," HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said in a statement. "By preparing now, individuals will be better able to deal with a pandemic, slow the spread of illness, and lessen the overall impact to themselves and to society." Federal officials in February issued guidelines for communities on combating a flu pandemic before a vaccine is available. In the most serious pandemic, they called for isolation measures like closing schools, canceling public gatherings and quarantining households with sick people. The Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration also urged employers to develop plans to cope with a pandemic, suggesting letting employees work from home and encouraging sick workers to stay home without reprisals.
From the World Health Organization:
"Because of the potential severity of the H5N1 virus, higher than normal mortality rates, and the likely absence of readily available professional medical services, your main goal should be to avoid becoming infected. Isolation is the key. The fewer people you come into contact with, the lower your chances are of contracting the flu. This is why having all of your food and supplies on hand before the pandemic starts is so critical."
A bird flu pandemic occurs in two or more waves lasting six to eight weeks each. You should store enough extra food, supplies and equipment that will allow you and your family to stay home and away from other people for at least three months. Your lives could depend on it. Once the Bird Flu has reached the United States and panic sets in, normal daily activities may be severely affected. Depending upon the severity of the pandemic, social disruptions will likely include:
Bird flu is extremely contagious and has a very high mortality rate. More than half of the people who have contracted bird flu have died.
The Harvard School of Public Health recently conducted a survey of 1,043 adults regarding bird flu. Seven out of ten of the people who run the electric power plants, water purification plants, and the truck drivers who deliver all the food and other essential products across this country will stay home to avoid exposure to the bird flu. Seven out of ten of our local police officers, firemen, ambulance crews and hospital workers will not go to work. What will happen if more than two-thirds of the workers in these essential services are suddenly missing from work? We will experience a complete shutdown of essential services in this country. Then we will see a declaration of martial law because the military will have to be called in to re-establish order. Remember, more than 100 New Orleans police officers quit their jobs and left town during the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. If two-thirds of our police officers are not on the street, then the military will have to be dispatched to our cities in an attempt to control mass uprisings, protests and chaos. But will there be enough military personnel here to restore order in our cities when most of them are already serving overseas? You should prepare NOW to survive the Avian bird flu should it arrive. If you wait until it hits, it may be too late for you. It seems unbelievable, but during a bird flu pandemic your city or neighborhood may be placed under mandatory quarantine to help prevent the spread of the virus. No one can leave. No one is allowed to come in. Panic buying would empty grocery store shelves within two or three days once the flu virus hits your area. Warehouses would run out of supplies because the trucking industry may come to a halt. Our entire food distribution system could fail. Much needed food, water, and other supplies may have to be air-dropped to your community to avoid infecting delivery people. Or food and water may not arrive at all, as happened during the aftermath of hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Food, water, batteries and other necessities would quickly become unavailable. Emergency food bars are available for short-term use. Canned, dehydrated, or freeze-dried meat, milk, cereal, vegetables, and fruit are available for long-term storage. Start preparing now! Humans can live without water for only three or four days. During a bird flu pandemic, your water supply may be disrupted due to employee sickness or employees refusing to go to work because they fear being in contact with other people. Chlorine or other chemicals that are used to purify the water may not be delivered to the water treatment plants. Even though water may be coming from your faucets during a pandemic, the water may be contaminated because the water treatment plants may not be purifying the water due to lack of chemicals or employees. If your water supply fails, you can obtain water from creeks, ponds, lakes, or rivers. You can store tap water in large containers, but you would need a huge supply based on using about one gallon of water per person per day. If you can obtain water from creeks, lakes, ponds, etc. be sure you properly purify it before using it for drinking or cooking. Almost all surface water is contaminated with dangerous bacteria, virus, and parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidia. Contaminated water can make you extremely sick for months and can even cause death, so don't take chances. There are many water filters available to make your water safe to drink. The water filters sold at grocery and discount stores are not sufficient to remove dangerous contaminants from water. Use only filters that are specially designed to remove dangerous bacteria and parasites. Water purification tablets are available, but should be used in conjunction with water filters to be sure all dangerous viruses and other contaminants are inactivated. Be absolutely sure that your water is safe for drinking, cooking, brushing your teeth, and other hygienic purposes. Your electrical power could be cut off for a long period of time for the same reasons that your water supply could be disrupted. You must think about how you will cook your food. Some stoves and ovens will not operate without electricity. Refridgerators and freezers will not work. If a deadly bird flu pandemic hits during the winter you will need a way to heat your home because pellet stoves and most furnaces will not operate without electricity. Stock up on matches, candles, oil lamps, self-powered flashlights and crank radios that need no batteries. Gasoline pumps at service stations will not be able to pump gas. Electric can openers and electric razors will not work. Television sets, cable TV and satellite TV will not work. Another thing to consider is that your bank may have to close. Without electricity, computers and ATM machines will not work. Without electricity, grocery store cash registers and debit card terminals will not operate. You should have a supply of cash that you can use to buy things you might need because your credit cards and debit cards will be useless.
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