U.S. Issues One Year Summary of Nation's Pandemic Flu Plan

Last week, the Homeland Security Council, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, issued the "National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan One Year Summary." The "Summary" gives an overview of what the collaborated efforts of several federal government departments and agencies have accomplished in the past year to prepare the country for an influenza pandemic.

The report states that, although the media no longer reports much on the avian influenza and the need to prepare for a pandemic, it remains a certainty that a pandemic of some kind will eventually occur, and vigilance is still important. It's emphasized that the country must not become complacent and must continue to take the threat of a pandemic very seriously. The "Summary" specifically states that "the stakes are high, and our greatest enemy is complacency."

According to the "Summary," the threat of H5N1 (avian or bird flu) has been reduced in the past year by containing outbreaks at their source and quickly diagnosing any human cases of the disease. During this time, the United States, along with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, has investigated avian flu incidents on three continents and provided assistance and support of various kinds to 39 of the 60 countries and jurisdictions where avian flu has had an affect. As a result of this combined effort, a pandemic virus has yet to emerge.

As a result of the government's investment in stockpiling anti-viral medications, personal protective equipment and decontamination kits, the United States now has enough anti-viral medications stockpiled to treat nearly 50 million people. Should a pandemic occur elsewhere and containment efforts fail, the federal government has a plan in place to slow entry of the virus into the U.S., while still allowing goods and services to enter the country unabated.

Should an influenza pandemic reach the U.S., early detection and response will be critical to containment. To accomplish that, state and local health departments nationwide have been provided resources to assist in detection and response, ideally within 24 hours.

Increased vaccine manufacturing and stockpiling is also being addressed. The first pre-pandemic vaccine for avian flu was approved by the federal government in April 2007. At this time, there is enough of the vaccine available for about 6 million people, with plans in the works to stockpile enough for 20 million people.

As of June 2007, anti-viral medications have been stockpiled for more than 35 million regimens, with another 2 million regimens on order. According to the "Summary," individual states have more than 13 million anti-viral regimens already stockpiled.

The federal government has also addressed what is called non-pharmaceutical interventions as part of its plan to slow the spread of disease within local communities. These include actions such as closing schools, social distancing, canceling large public gatherings, education about proper hand washing, covering coughs, etc.

During the past year, the government has also looked to the private sector, assisting businesses in making plans should a pandemic occur. In addition to prevention and containment, the goal is to protect employees, while keeping businesses operational.

Work still remains to be done, including the problem of hospitals and emergency facilities that are already operating at capacity. Add to that a pandemic or other disaster, and prompt mass casualty care becomes a virtual impossibility.

As the "Summary" states, never before has any generation anticipated or prepared for a pandemic, which will occur if a novel strain of flu virus emerges that is able to infect humans and cause severe disease and death to thousands, if not millions. As the "Summary" states, the stakes are high, but the government is committed to its investment to protect its citizens, both now and in the future.

The entire 36-page "National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan One Year Summary" can be obtained online.

Source:

National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan One Year Summary,
Executive Summary; http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/pandemic-influenza-oneyear.html#exec

National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan One Year Summary; http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/nspi_oneyear.pdf