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What you need to know about
Pandemic influenza (“flu”)
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What is pandemic flu?
A pandemic is an outbreak of a disease in many countries at the
same time. A pandemic of influenza—or flu—occurs when a new flu
virus rapidly spreads from country to country around the world. The
swift spread of a pandemic flu happens because people are not immune
to the new flu virus, and an effective vaccine would take months to
develop.
In addition, sick people who travel from country to country can
be a source of infection, as occurred in the SARS (Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak in Asia and Canada in 2003. Pandemics
are not just particularly bad flu seasons. In fact, they are not
seasonal at all; they can happen anytime.
What is the difference between a pandemic
and an epidemic?
An epidemic is an outbreak of a disease that occurs in one or
several limited areas, like a city, state, or country.
Once the disease spreads beyond the borders of several countries and
affects many countries across the globe, it is called a pandemic. In
the last century, several pandemics of influenza occurred – the
biggest one in 1918. During the 1918 pandemic, at least 500,000
Americans died, estimated deaths worldwide numbered 10 million.
Avian influenza
What is avian flu?
There are many strains—or types—of flu virus. Certain strains
infect humans, birds or animals. An influenza virus strain that
infects birds is called avian flu or bird flu. Usually this virus
only infects birds, and when an outbreak occurs it can have a very
serious impact on poultry flocks. Outbreaks of avian flu have
occurred on several continents including North America in the last
five years. An
ongoing outbreak of avian flu in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe has resulted in the killing of millions of chickens and other
domestic birds to control the spread of the disease. Rarely, a virus
may be able to infect both birds and animals, or birds and humans.
Are pandemic flu and
avian flu the same thing?
No. Pandemic flu is not a type of flu but is the way the flu
spreads. In fact any disease can be a pandemic if it spreads rapidly
between people all over the world. The avian flu currently in
Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe (H5N1) may be spread to people who
directly handle infected birds or bird waste, but currently can’t be
spread easily from person to person. However, flu viruses change,
and this virus could change in a way that makes it possible for
people to pass it to each other. If that happens and people in many
countries get sick, the virus becomes a pandemic flu strain.
Why should we be concerned about a virus
that infects birds?
The strain of avian flu causing the outbreak in Asian and Eastern
European birds is
of concern for several reasons:
-
This flu strain can spread from birds to
people, and when it does, it can cause very serious human illness
and even death. So far, the virus does not appear to spread easily
from person to person, but that could change.
-
Whenever a bird flu strain infects
people, there is a chance that the virus could change to a brand new
flu virus that spreads easily from person to person and causes
serious illness.
-
Infections with new human flu strains
can’t be prevented by the flu vaccine that people get each year, so
no one will be immune to the virus. Making a safe vaccine that can
prevent infection with a new human virus can take months.
- Because this type of new virus couldn’t be easily controlled, it could
spread rapidly around the world and cause a pandemic.
Why is everyone so
concerned about this flu? Don't people get the flu every year?
The flu we get each year is called
“seasonal” flu. Although the virus changes slightly from year to
year, it is always a version of the flu from recent years so most of
us have built-up some immunity or tolerance to it. The flu that may
develop from the bird flu would be completely new and that makes it
more dangerous because we have no immunity to it.
Will a seasonal flu
shot protect me from avian flu?
No. The flu shot available each year only protects you from that
season's flu. There
is currently no vaccine for avian flu. A seasonal flu shot is still a
good idea, though, and should be part of everyone’s personal health
plan. For other ideas on staying healthy, see the Washington State
Department of Health’s
Preventing the Spread
of Germs fact sheet.
Is it safe to eat
chicken and turkey and eggs?
Yes. Currently there are no reported poultry flocks in the U.S.
infected with avian flu. Poultry is safe to eat. You can make sure
poultry is safe to eat by cooking it to an internal temperature of
165 ˚F (check the temperature with a cooking thermometer). This
kills all bacteria and viruses including the avian influenza virus.
Always use
safe
preparation and cooking procedures
when handling and cooking poultry. Be sure to
thoroughly wash your hands after handling any uncooked meat.
For more information: the
Washington State Department of Fish and
Wildlife monitors wild birds in our state, and the
Department of
Agriculture monitors U.S. birds in the farming and
poultry industries.
when handling any raw poultry. Be
sure to thoroughly wash your hands after handling any uncooked meat.
Are my pets safe from avian flu?
There is no current risk to pets in Washington. Cats fed raw
infected poultry in Asia have developed avian flu, however pets have
not been infected elsewhere.
There are a few
precautions you should take with pet birds:
-
Keep all pet birds inside to avoid exposure to wild or migratory
birds.
-
Always wash your hands after handling birds or having contact with
bird waste.
-
If you are buying a new pet bird—especially an exotic type—be sure it was born and raised locally. It is illegal to import birds from regions that are infected with avian flu because these birds can be a source of introducing avian flu to a new area.
Are birds with avian flu
a health threat if they land in the lakes or rivers that supply my
drinking water?
No. Even if avian flu were to be present in wild or migratory
birds, the virus that causes the flu is easily killed by the
disinfectants, such as chlorine and ozone, used to make drinking
water safe. Most public water systems also use filtration
processes capable of removing viruses from the water
Pandemic influenza
How soon after the
beginning of an influenza pandemic will a vaccine be available?
Why can’t vaccine manufacturers start producing a pandemic flu
vaccine now?
An influenza pandemic starts when a new, deadly
flu virus infects people. Before a pandemic, we don’t know what
this new influenza virus will look like. Experts will need that
information to develop a new vaccine. Making a vaccine is a labor
intensive, time consuming process. Once a pandemic virus is
identified, it will take at least six months to produce an
effective vaccine. And even at that point, supplies will likely be
very limited.
The federal government is funding research to
find faster ways to produce vaccine. They are also working with
vaccine suppliers to arrange production and distribution of
vaccine in an emergency.
Will antiviral
medications like Tamiflu be effective?
Antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza can
prevent or reduce the severity and length of illness caused by
seasonal flu. They may or may not work for a new virus that causes
a flu pandemic. Unfortunately—as with vaccine—we won’t know what
medications are effective in fighting the virus until a specific
virus is identified.
Antiviral drugs are only effective when taken within 48 hours of
the first flu symptoms. It is also possible for a virus to become
resistant to an antiviral. Children under one year of age cannot
take Tamiflu and children under seven cannot take Relenza.
Scientists are working to find new antiviral drugs and government
is working to increase the supply of existing antiviral drugs.
What are some of the
steps government officials could take to slow the spread of the
flu during a pandemic? What do the terms isolation and quarantine
really mean?
State or local government officials may try
several measures to slow the spread of the flu, including:
-
Canceling or limiting public gatherings such as
concerts, meetings and church services.
-
Closing schools, theaters and other places
where large numbers of people gather.
Requesting that people who have the flu stay home or at a
healthcare facility. (This is called isolation.)
-
Requesting that people who have been exposed to
the flu virus to stay at home and avoid contact with others. (This
is called quarantine.)
-
Asking everyone to stay home for a period of
time. This is sometimes compared to a “snow day”—a day when
regular activities are suspended due to bad weather.
Should I buy masks?
There are other good ways to avoid getting
the flu. Flu spreads from one person to another through
droplets from coughing and sneezing. The best way to avoid getting
the flu is to avoid crowded conditions and close contact with
others during flu season. It is also important to wash your hands
often, particularly after coughing if you are sick or before
touching your face. Stay home if you are coughing or sneezing, or
if you might be coming down with the flu.
We don’t know if wearing a mask will help. There is very
little research about using masks to prevent flu. Masks are
probably most useful when worn by sick people to keep their
sneezes and coughs from infecting others.
During a flu pandemic (outbreak) you may want to wear a mask when
you are in crowded settings. A mask may protect you from other
people's coughs and make it more difficult for you to cough on
others.
If you are taking care of a person with the flu at home you may
want to wear a mask or respirator. Respirators include thicker
fiber masks often worn by nurses or construction workers.
Respirators are labeled N-95.
Using a mask can present some problems. You risk being
infected by your mask if you do not handle it very carefully.
Masks may become contaminated by sneezing or coughing droplets and
are also uncomfortable to wear. Touching your eyes, nose or mouth
while adjusting or changing the mask can infect you with the flu.
Masks need to be discarded carefully to keep spreading infection.
N-95 masks need to fit closely on the face to work properly.
Although they keep sick people from spreading disease, masks
are not entirely effective. Do not rely on masks alone for
protection during a pandemic. Masks may reduce the spread of flu
if you also avoid crowds or gatherings, stay home when you are
sick, cover your cough and wash your hands often.
How much food and water
should I store to be prepared? I have seen varying estimates.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services recommends that you stock a week’s worth of food, water
and other supplies for each family member. This is the minimum
amount you will need. However, a flu pandemic could last for
months and supplies from stores and other sources may be limited
for much of that time. If you can store more than one week of
supplies, we encourage you to do so. Remember your pets when
stocking your supplies.
How will the community
be alerted about a health emergency? What about other languages
and translations?
Government agencies will keep the public
informed through television, radio, newspapers and the Internet.
Telephone information lines will also be available on a limited
basis.
The Washington State Department of Health and its partners will
work to provide information in languages other than English. Many
materials on preparing for pandemic influenza are now available on
the Department of Health’s Web site in Spanish, Vietnamese,
Chinese, Korean, Cambodian and Russian. For a list of resources
visit:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/phepr/factsheets.htm.
Government planning
Will there be enough
anti-viral drugs and vaccines for everyone during a pandemic? How
will the distribution be prioritized?
The federal government is working to ensure fast and effective
ways of making enough vaccine for everyone in a pandemic, but it
will still take time. It will take at least six months to produce
an effective vaccine once a virus is identified and supplies will
be limited.
Local governments will develop distribution plans for vaccines and
medicines, and these plans may vary from one community to another.
With limited supplies, it is very likely people who are ill will
be the first priority for receiving medications. Also, it may be
necessary to give vaccine and medicines first to community members
who provide essential services to the public such as healthcare
personnel, emergency responders and police.
A pandemic will most likely be caused by a new virus, so antiviral
drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza may not be helpful. As with
vaccine, we won’t know what medications will fight the virus until
a specific pandemic virus is identified. The federal government
and some local governments are stockpiling antiviral drugs, but
again, supplies are limited.
How is the state
involving persons with disabilities and vulnerable populations in
pandemic planning?
Pandemic influenza is an issue that involves
everyone, and there are important issues to consider for people
with special needs. State and local governments are working to
include special needs communities in pandemic influenza planning
and resource development efforts on all levels, from planning to
community outreach.
Our state sent a delegation (Department of Health, Department of
Social and Human Services, Department of the Military’s Emergency
Management Division and the Governor’s Office) to Washington D.C.
as part of the Working Conference on Emergency Preparedness for
Disabled and Aging Populations. This conference was an opportunity
for partners nationwide to work together on important issues
facing special needs communities.
We also work with organizations serving special populations to
make sure their issues and concerns are addressed in our public
outreach materials. (All materials are also available on request
in alternate formats, and our Web site meets accessibility
standards for assistive technologies such as screen readers.)
Also, to better serve non-English speaking communities, we
regularly translate emergency preparedness materials into Spanish,
Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Russian, and other key languages
as appropriate. All translated materials are checked by community
groups to make sure they are accurate and useful.
Many important efforts also happen on the local level as Local
Health Jurisdictions work directly with special needs communities
in their areas to help meet outreach and emergency planning needs.
What is the Department of Health doing to
prepare for pandemic flu?
The Department of Health—working with local, state, federal and
Canadian partners—has been planning for a potential pandemic flu
outbreak and taking action to help protect the health of people in
our state. For complete details, please see the
Washington State Department of Health’s
Pandemic Influenza Plan
Summary.
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