|
Public Health
Emergency Preparedness & Response
> Pandemic
Influenza Planning
Last
updated
August 3, 2006 4:24 PM
What You Need to Know About Pandemic Influenza 
Pandemic Influenza Documents
What
You Need to Know About Pandemic Influenza
(“flu”)
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.
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
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?
Yes.
Currently there are no reported poultry
flocks in the U.S. infected with avian
flu. Poultry is safe to eat, but you
should always follow safe preparation
and cooking procedures when handling
any raw 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.
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.
What
is the Yakima Health District doing to
prepare for pandemic flu?
The
Health District, working with local,
regional, and state partners, has been
planning for a potential pandemic flu
outbreak and taking action to help protect
the health of people in our county.
Pandemic Influenza Documents
Yakima Documents
Yakima Health District Pandemic Influenza Brochure - English
Yakima Health District Pandemic Influenza Brochure - Spanish
Yakima Health District Pandemic Influenza Poster - English
Yakima Health District Pandemic Influenza Poster - Spanish
Yakima
Health District Pandemic Influenza plan
Yakima
County Comprehensive Emergency Management
Plan
National Links/Documents
Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
Health
& Human Services Official US Government
Pandemic Site
World
Health Organization
USGS
National Wildlife Health Center
"It's
not flu as usual" Information for
Businesses (PDF)
Don't
Fear or Panic - An Economist's View
of Pandemic Flu (PDF)
Biosecurity
for Birds - USDA
|
