Preparing for a Pandemic Resources

 Just as with any emergency or natural For more information, visit the following disaster, it is important to prepare for a websites: Seasonal, possible flu pandemic.  You should store supplies for your family for New Hampshire Department of Health and Avian, and up to two weeks, including nonperishable Human Services food, water, medications, batteries and www.avianflu.nh.gov flashlights, a radio, and toiletries, in case Pandemic Flu stores are out of supplies. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and  Continually check your prescription drugs to Prevention make sure you have a supply at home. www.cdc.gov/flu  Talk with family members and loved ones about how they would be cared for if they U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service got sick and what you will need to care for http://www.fws.gov/ them in your home.  Schools may be closed weeks or months so U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plan on how to educate children at home. www.pandemicflu.gov  Plan for if you are unable to go to work or if your place of employment is closed.  U.S. Department of Homeland Security Make a will, a living will, and review your www.ready.gov insurance policies. U.S. Department of Agriculture www.usda.gov COVER your mouth when you National Institutes of Health, National Institute cough or sneeze of Allergy and Infectious Disease ONLY use your own glass and http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/focuson/flu utensils—don’t share World Organization for Animal Health USE soap and warm water to www.oie.int/eng/en_index.htm wash hands often GET plenty of sleep, exercise, World Health Organization www.who.int/ and eat a healthy diet Food and Agriculture Organization of the NH Department of Health and HOME is where you belong when Human Services United Nations you’re sick, not at work or school Concord, NH 03301 www.fao.org January 2007 Seasonal Flu Avian Flu Pandemic Flu

 Seasonal flu is a viral respiratory illness that  Avian (or “bird”) flu is caused by the type of  Influenza pandemics are recurring events. can be transmitted from person to person influenza viruses that occur naturally in wild Three pandemics occurred in the twentieth through coughing, sneezing, and sharing birds. H5N1 is one of this type of virus. century.  utensils.  Every year there are outbreaks of various Pandemics can vary in severity, but the 1918  In the United States, approximately 36,000 strains of avian flu in poultry in the U.S. The pandemic, one of the most severe, is estimated people die each year from seasonal flu. highly pathogenic H5N1 strain is deadly to to have killed over 50,000 Americans.   Seasonal flu occurs every year, though from domestic fowl, such as chickens and ducks. A pandemic occurs when a new flu virus year to year the strains differ. emerges and starts spreading as easily as  Every year a vaccine is developed to match  It is safe to eat poultry infected with H5N1 or seasonal flu—by coughing and sneezing. the strains most likely to circulate. The vaccine other avian flu strains as long as it is handled  Many pandemic strains cause more serious is meant for people most likely to become very properly and cooked thoroughly since cooking illness than seasonal flu strains and can have a ill if they get the flu. kills the virus. higher mortality rate, but not all of them.  Most people have at least some immunity to  Since mid-2003, the highly pathogenic H5N1  Most people in the world have no immunity the strains of flu circulating that cause the virus has caused the largest and most severe to the strains that cause a pandemic, thus the seasonal flu. outbreak in poultry ever recorded. illness rates are significantly higher than with  It is recommended that anyone with a chronic  seasonal flu. illness, children 6-23 months, pregnant The virus continues to change, or mutate, and  It will take at least 4 to 6 months after a women, people over age 50, and health care several strains are now circulating in the world. pandemic strain emerges to make any vaccine workers be vaccinated.  The vast majority of avian flu strains do not against it, and up to two years to make enough  Symptoms include fever, headache, extreme infect humans. for everyone in the U.S.  tiredness, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat,  Since H5N1 can be transmitted from birds to A pandemic strain of influenza will circle the and muscle aches. humans and has a high death rate in people, globe quickly, in several months, and affect all scientists worry it may start a pandemic. No countries.  one knows for sure if or when this will happen. A serious pandemic will affect every facet of life, from food and supplies to education to  There is no human immunity to H5N1 and no jobs to the economy. vaccine is yet available for people.  Symptoms of illness in people can range from cough to fever to pneumonia.  There have been cases of limited human-to- human spread, but no sustained spread.  There is no cure and in birds or people, but some antiviral medications may be helpful to treat the virus in people.