Pandemic Flu
Emergency Planning
Checklist
(PDF 48 KB)
A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. A flu
pandemic happens 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 from one person to another, causes serious illness, and can
move across the country and around the world in a very short time.
The spread of avian
flu (bird flu) in the past few years has generated concern that it may
become the next pandemic virus. At this time avian flu is not easily
spread from one person to another, however no one can truly answer the
question if this virus will trigger the next pandemic or not.
It is difficult to predict when the next influenza pandemic will occur
or how severe it will be; however, no matter where or when a pandemic
starts, everyone around the world is at risk. Influenza viruses cause
infections of the respiratory tract (breathing tubes and lungs). In some
persons, complications of influenza can be severe, including pneumonia.
How is a pandemic different from regular flu season?
A pandemic flu is a new influenza virus that could be a much more
serious flu virus than seen in a typical flu season. Different from the
typical strains of flu, humans would have little or no natural resistance
to a new strain of influenza. Also, there is a vaccine for seasonal flu,
which is prepared each season to protect against new variations of the
seasonal influenza. There is no vaccine available at this time for a
pandemic flu, and it is expected to take at least six months after a
pandemic flu appears before a vaccine is developed.
Why is pandemic influenza so serious?
Because most or all people would not have immunity to a new pandemic
virus, and large numbers of persons around the world can be infected. If the
pandemic virus causes severe disease, many people may develop serious
illnesses.
Once a pandemic virus develops, it can spread rapidly, causing outbreaks
around the world. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) predicts that as much as 25-30% of the US population could be
affected.
Can pandemic flu be prevented?
Boulder County Public Health is working with federal, state, and other
local government agencies to be able to respond to pandemic influenza and
to maintain essential health care and community services if an outbreak
should occur. In fact, governments all around the world are preparing for
the possibility of a pandemic outbreak under the leadership of the World
Health Organization (WHO).
It is not possible to prevent or stop a pandemic once it begins. A
person infected with influenza virus can be contagious for 24 hours before
symptoms begin, and for seven days thereafter, making it extremely easy
for the virus to spread rapidly to large numbers of people. For more
information:
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Avian Disease
Surveillance Underway
March 2006 —
Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical
Sciences is coordinating an avian disease surveillance program in Colorado
with the assistance of local public health agencies (including Boulder
County Public Health), the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, poultry owners and
the animal industry throughout Colorado.
Because Avian Influenza has not yet been identified anywhere in North or
South America it is not necessary to test individual sick birds for this
disease. In the event that the virus does arrive in the area, Public
Health will be focusing on testing birds associated with large die-offs
rather than individual birds.
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