Pandemic Flu Planning

The Occupational Health Disaster Expert Network (OHDEN) has gathered on one website a huge collection of information about pandemic flu. There are sections for governments, communities, businesses, and Families/individuals. Most of the links are to other agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and PandemicFlu.gov. One of the best resources is the planning section of PandemicFlu.gov. You can download the checklist for Families separately from the guide referenced in this article.

The federal government has released some new and very helpful resources for preparing for a pandemic flu outbreak. Pandemic Flu Planning: A Guide for Individuals and Families (pdf 350KB) offers these definitions of flu:

• Seasonal flu - Caused by influenza viruses that are similar to those already affecting people.
• Pandemic flu - Caused by a new influenza virus that people have not been exposed to before. Likely to be more severe, affect more people, and cause more deaths than seasonal flu because people will not have immunity to the new virus.

The Guide is very readable and contains checklists and forms to help with planning. It can be downloaded free from the government's official pandemic flu web site, www.PandemicFlu.gov or by clicking here. This web site also has guidance for businesses and health care providers. Check it out!

For more information on Pandemic Flu, visit www.PandemicFlu.gov.

Also see:
Flu Basics
Flu Season 2009-2010
Avian Flu: Get the Facts
H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu): Get the Facts