Influenza Booklet
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Explaining Courtesy of Your Pinal County Board of Supervisors FOREWORD As members of the Pinal County Board of Supervisors, we ask each citizen to review this booklet as a first step towards pandemic influenza preparedness. This booklet contains the information needed to understand how to help prevent this disease and how to create a preparedness plan for your home and business. Recently it has been difficult to read a newspaper or watch a newscast without some mention of the avian influenza (flu) or influenza (flu) pandemic. Throughout history, flu pandemics have proven to have devastating effects on the health of our communities and economy. In 1918, the world was devastated by the Spanish Flu Pandemic. The Spanish flu killed around 675,000 Americans and tens of millions worldwide. Today, we are the first generation in history to anticipate a flu pandemic. Your federal, state, and local governments have been working for the past two years on plans to minimize the potentially devastating effects of a flu pandemic. Scientific experts throughout the world agree that it is simply a matter of time before the world sees its next flu pandemic. The avian flu is a potential, and some say likely, source of the next flu pandemic and as such its effects and transmission throughout flocks of poultry and wild birds is being closely monitored worldwide. The concern that health officials have regarding avian flu is that the effects closely mimic that of the devastating Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918. At this point avian flu is only easily transmissible between birds. However, a mutation could take place at any time that would allow transmission between humans to occur as easily as it does each year for seasonal flu. The Division of Public Health has been working to prepare for a flu pandemic. As part of their work, they have examined statistical data using the Spanish Flu Pandemic as a model for an impending pandemic. Based upon that data, 30% - 40% of the residents of Pinal County will contract the flu. This will have a devastating effect on the ability for us to continue to run our businesses, schools, essential and government services. Given that every community in the nation and world will have similar effects, normal supply chains will likely be interrupted. If the impending flu pandemic follows the pattern of the 1918 pandemic, Pinal County could face 1,700 deaths and 8,500 hospitalizations over the course of the pandemic. Unlike seasonal flu that generally has its most devastating effects on the very young and elderly, the Spanish Flu mainly affected young healthy adults. In fact, nearly half of those who died in that pandemic were young healthy adults. Pinal County has been and will continue to work with federal, state, and other local officials on pandemic flu planning. Given that the flu pandemic is by definition a worldwide event it is clear that the state and federal resources that local governments would normally use to assist in disaster will likely not be available. As a result, our efforts focus on using local resources to manage this event. 2 The most important resource we have in Pinal County is our citizens. The personal preparedness of each citizen is the key to our successful mitigation of the flu pandemic. The prevention of the spread of disease must be the number one goal of every citizen, business owner, and government official. The likelihood of an effective vaccine being developed in time and in the volume needed is not promising so we need to concentrate our efforts on prevention methods. As covered in this booklet, these methods are simple and effective. Examples of some of the measures are simply keeping sick workers and school children home and regular washing of hands. We encourage you to take a few minutes to review this material. If you have a group that would like to have a presentation, please contact the Division of Public Health at (520) 866-7319. Sincerely, PINAL COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Lionel D. Ruiz Sandie Smith David Snider District 1 Supervisor District 2 Supervisor District 3 Supervisor 3 This document may be reproduced without formal permission or charge for personal or in-house use. 4 Table of Contents QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE FLU 6 The Pinal County Division of Public Health 6 What is Influenza (Flu)? 7 What are the Symptoms of the Flu? 7 How Does the Flu Spread? 7 How Soon Will I Get Sick if I am Exposed to the Flu? 7 How Do I Find Out If I Have the Flu? 7 INFLUENZA PANDEMICS 8 What is an Influenza Pandemic? 8 Recent Influenza Pandemics 8 The Potential for an Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Pandemic 8 Does the Flu Have Complications? 9 How Long is a Person With the Flu Virus Contagious? 9 PLANNING 10 What to Expect During an Influenza Pandemic 10 Vaccines 11 Anti-Viral Medications 11 Your Part in the Planning Process 11 BUSINESS PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PLANNING 12 CHECKLIST FAMILY EMERGENCY HEALTH INFORMATION SHEET 14 PANDEMIC FLU PLANNING CHECKLIST FOR 16 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EMERGENCY CONTACTS FORM 17 5 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE FLU The Pinal County Division of Public Health Please contact the Pinal County Division of Public Health, Emergency Preparedness and Response Section at (520) 866-7319 if you would like more information about the Flu. The Pinal County Division of Public Health can provide additional guidance and recommendations to assist in preparing for the threat of an Influenza pandemic. Prevention is the Key to Controlling the Spread of the Flu The Two Most Common Ways Flu is Prevention Strategies Spread Person-to-Person • Avoid close proximity to people who are sick. • Wear a cloth mask if close proximity is unavoidable. • Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. • Wash your hands if you sneeze or cough into them. Contact With Sick People • Disinfect surfaces such as phones, keyboards, doorknobs, and faucets. • If you are sick, stay home to prevent others from becoming ill. • Frequent hand washing is key. Proper Hand Washing Technique Contaminated Surfaces • Wash hands with soap and warm running water for at least 15 seconds (Children can be instructed to sing the ABCs at least once to ensure 15 seconds). • Rub hands together vigorously to cover all surfaces of your hands (including under fingernails). • Use single use paper towels to dry hands. Do not use a common use cloth towel. • If soap and water are not available, use a 60% alcohol-based hand rub (hand sanitizer). 6 What is Influenza (Flu)? Influenza, commonly called “the Flu”, is caused by the Influenza virus, which infects the respiratory tract (nose, throat, and lungs). Unlike many other viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, the Flu causes severe illness and may cause life-threatening complications for some people. What are the Symptoms of the Flu? Influenza is a respiratory illness. Symptoms of the Flu include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle aches. Children can have additional symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, but these symptoms are uncommon in adults. Although the term “Stomach Flu” is sometimes used to describe vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea, these illnesses are usually caused by other viruses, bacteria, or possibly parasites, and are rarely related to Influenza. KEY POINTS How Does the Flu Spread? • Flu is caused by a virus which The main way that Influenza viruses are spread is infects the nose, throat and lungs. person-to-person in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes called “droplet spread”. This happens • The main way Flu virus is spread is person-to-person when droplets from a cough or a sneeze of an infected person are propelled (generally up to 3 feet) through the air and deposited on the mouth, • A person exposed to the Flu will nose, or eyes of people nearby. Though much less begin to have symptoms in about frequent, the Flu virus can also be spread when a one to four days. person touches respiratory droplets on another person or an object and then touches their own • Prevention is the key to mouth, nose, or eyes (or someone else’s) before controlling the spread of the Flu. washing their hands. How Soon Will I Get Sick if I am Exposed to the Flu? From when a person is exposed to the Flu virus to when symptoms begin is about one to four days, with an average of about two days. How Do I Find Out if I Have the Flu? It is very difficult to tell the Flu from other viral or bacterial causes of respiratory illnesses on the basis of symptoms alone. A test can confirm that an illness is Influenza if the patient is tested within the first two or three days after symptoms begin. In addition, a doctor’s examination may be needed to determine whether a person has another infection that is a complication of Influenza. 7 INFLUENZA PANDEMICS What is an Influenza Pandemic? When an Influenza pandemic is discussed, health experts are referring to an outbreak of Influenza (Flu) that spreads worldwide. Unknown to many people, there have been several significant Influenza pandemics in recent history. Recent Influenza Pandemics The Asian and Hong Kong Influenza Pandemics of 1958 and 1968 are both considered to have been “moderate” Influenza pandemics. Most victims of the Asian and Hong Kong Influenza Pandemics were elderly. KEY POINTS However, the pandemic most often cited by the • An Influenza pandemic is a world- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wide outbreak of the Flu.