Pandemic influenza resources
- Background
- Pandemic & avian influenza -World Health Organization (WHO)
- Pandemic influenza plans, updates & strategies - U.S. Federal agencies
- Business professionals resources
Background
Pandemic influenza
In 2005, heightened concerns surfaced about the potential for a pandemic influenza, prompting the government to issue a national pandemic strategy and a companion national pandemic influenza plan for implementation. An influenza pandemic is a global outbreak of disease that occurs when three conditions are met: 1) a new influenza A virus appears or "emerges" in the human population; 2) the virus causes serious illness in people; and 3) the virus spreads easily from person to person worldwide. Currently there is no worldwide flu pandemic. However there is concern that the next pandemic may be caused by an avian, or "bird" influenza virus, or some other new strain of influenza virus.
Avian influenza viruses occur naturally among birds and may infect humans who live in close proximity with infected birds. The World Health Organization (WHO) tracks the number of cases of avian influenza A (H5N1) on a special Web site. Public health officials are closely monitoring for H5N1 avian influenza in humans and other strains capable of being spread efficiently from person to person.
This Web site is intended to provide key documents, resources, tools and web sites for seasonal and pandemic influenza preparedness with new and updated resources being added weekly. An overview of these resources is available in Premier's 4-page Fact Sheet, a Summary of resources available from Premier including information on seasonal, pandemic and avian influenza (.pdf) (110 KB)
Please visit the Safety Institute's emergency preparedness Web site for resources on all types of emergency planning.
With nearly 36,000 deaths per year from seasonal influenza-related illness, current seasonal influenza information is also available on the Safety Web. Implementing successful programs to address seasonal influenza, including immunization of high risk patients and staff, will serve as the foundation for pandemic preparedness.
Safety Institute's edition of HHS/CDC checklist for hospitals
to help prepare for a pandemic, June 2007 (New)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with input from other Federal partners, have developed this checklist to help hospitals assess and improve their preparedness for responding to pandemic influenza. Because of differences among hospitals (e.g., characteristics of the patient population, size of the hospital/community, scope of services), each hospital will need to adapt this checklist to meet its unique needs and circumstances. HHS offers this as a PDF (2 MB) or on-line. However the Safety Institute offers this checklist as a Word file to save on your computer and complete or update at your own pace. The document retains the HTML format and features.
Premier's Hospital Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist (.doc) (462 KB)
HHS Web site: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/healthcare/hospitalchecklist.html
Pandemic & avian influenza - World Health Organization (WHO)
WHO Infection prevention and control of epidemic- and pandemic-prone acute respiratory diseases in health care. WHO Interim Guidelines. June 2007
WHO states that the present guidelines supersede the document "Hospital Infection Control Guidance for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)", revised 24 April 2003. These guidelines also relate to, and can be used in conjunction with, the document "Avian Influenza, Including Influenza A (H5N1): WHO Interim Infection Control Guidelines for Health-care Facilities" published by the WHO updated in May 2007 (See below).
After the conclusion of the pilot tests, to be conducted in 2007/2008, a revised version of these guidelines will be published. In the event of new epidemics or pandemics, additional recommendations will be forthcoming.
Download WHO interim guidelines
(6/07) (.pdf) (2.6 MB) or go to:
http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/WHO_CD_EPR_2007_6/en/index.html
Avian Influenza, Including Influenza A (H5N1), in Humans: WHO Interim Infection Control Guideline for Health Care Facilities (5/10/07) (.pdf) (1.2 MB)
WHO pandemic influenza draft protocol for rapid response and containment (1/27/06) (.pdf) (89 KB)
WHO avian influenza frequently asked questions (11/3/05) (.doc) (68 KB)
Pandemic influenza plans, updates & strategies -
U.S. Federal agencies
GAO - Government Accountability Office
Report to Congress: Influenza Pandemic - September, 2007
"Further Efforts Are Needed to Ensure Clearer Leadership Roles and Effective National Strategy. Report and Highlights." GAO-07-781, August 14, released September 10, 2007.
Download report (.pdf) (782 KB)
Download highlights (.pdf) (66 KB)
Homeland Security Council - White House National Strategy for Public Health and Medical Preparedness
Homeland security presidential directive/hspd-21 October, 2007
This 13-page directive from the White House establishes a National Strategy for Public Health and Medical Preparedness. The strategy focuses on disease surveillance; the stockpile and distribution of vaccines, drugs and other medical countermeasures; mass casualty care; and community resilience.
Download White House directive (10/18/07) (87 KB) or go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/10/20071018-10.html
Homeland Security Council - White House
One year report on National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza: Implementation Plan (May, 2006) July, 2007
This 41-page report from the Homeland Security Council details work completed on the goals outlined in the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza: Implementation Plan of May, 2006.
National Strategy for pandemic influenza: Implementation plan one year summary (7/12/07) (.pdf) (1.8 MB) or go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/pandemic-influenza-oneyear.html
OSHA
Guidance on preparing workplaces for an influenza pandemic (5/22/07) (.pdf) (313 KB)
HHS/CDC
HHS Pandemic Planning Update V – March 17, 2008
A report from Secretary Michael O. Leavitt
Monitoring and surveillance, stockpiling pre-pandemic vaccines and antiviral drugs, providing assistance for state and local preparedness, developing and testing mitigation strategies, creating needed domestic vaccine production, plus communications and outreach.
- High quality print version - Pandemic Flu update V (3/17/08) (.pdf ) (2.67MB)
- Low quality view/email version
- Pandemic Flu update V (3/17/08) (.pdf ) (272KB)
HHS offers tools to promote local pandemic preparedness
December 6, 2007
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a toolkit to help community leaders educate their constituents about steps they can take to prepare for an influenza pandemic. The 21-item toolkit is aimed at groups such as churches and business, healthcare, and civic organizations and includes several components that groups can adapt to meet their needs, including talking points, checklists, fact sheets, sample e-mails, and sample newsletter articles. This is a new page on the HHS Pandemic Web site.
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/takethelead/index.html
CDC Planning Guidelines - Community Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Mitigation February, 2007
CDC guidelines on actions, designed primarily to reduce contact between people, that community government and health officials can take to try to limit the spread of infection should a pandemic flu develop. Go to the Pandemic Flu web site to view or download this 10 MB document.
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/states/
HHS Pandemic Planning Update IV - July 18, 2007
A report from Secretary Michael O. Leavitt
Monitoring and surveillance, vaccines and vaccine production capacity, antiviral drugs, state and local preparedness, communications and a timeline.
Pandemic Flu update IV (7/18/07) (.pdf ) (935 KB)
HHS Pandemic Planning Update III - November 13, 2006
A report from Secretary Michael O. Leavitt
Pandemic flu update III (11/13/06) (.pdf ) (1.9 MB)
HHS Pandemic Planning Update II - June 29, 2006
A report from Secretary Michael O. Leavitt
Pandemic flu update II (6/29/06) (.pdf) (3.0 MB)
HHS Pandemic Planning Update - March 13, 2006
A report from Secretary Michael O. Leavitt
HHS Pandemic flu update (3/13/06) (.pdf) (869 KB)
Pandemic influenza guidance supplement to the 2006 public health emergency preparedness cooperative agreement - Phase II, July 2006
Pandemic Influenza Guidance Supplement (7/10/06) (.doc) (608 KB)
HHS announces additional $225 million for state and local pandemic influenza preparedness efforts, July 2006
Press release (7/11/06) (.doc) (37 KB)
National strategy for pandemic influenza - Implementation plan, May 2006
Complete plan released May 3, 2006
Implementation plan (5/3/06) (.pdf) (4.0 MB)
National strategy for pandemic influenza – Briefing book, May 2006
Complete plan released May 3, 2006
Implementation plan - Briefing book (.pdf) (564 KB)
Pandemic influenza preparedness fact sheet, May 2006
Summary of National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza
Fact Sheet: Advancing the Nation's Preparedness for Pandemic Influenza (5/3/06) (.doc) (44 KB)
HHS plan released November 2, 2005
HHS Pandemic influenza plan (11/2/05) (.pdf) (33 MB)
See also: http://www.hhs.gov/pandemicflu/plan/
National strategy released November 1, 2005
National pandemic influenza strategy (11/1/05) (.pdf) (702 KB)
See also: http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/pandemic-influenza.html
Business professionals resources
Pandemic Influenza Risk Management for Employers, March 2007
Study by Borba et.al, Milliman Co. NY, commissioned by Glaxo Smith & Kline
Download study (.pdf) (1.2 MB)
CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports mGuide-2003-2006
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mguide_flu.html
Preparing for pandemic flu: a call to action
From a Blue ribbon commission on mega-catastrophes of the financial services roundtable (11/1/06). See chapters 9-11 on health care issues and personnel
http://www.fsround.org/publications/pdfs/PANDEMICFinal.pdf (245 KB)
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy - University of Minnesota (CIDRAP)
Promising Practices database
A recently launched Web site Promising Practices is intended to assist public health officials find tools and ideas to help them prepare for an influenza pandemic. The Web site, describes and links to 130 "promising practices" from four countries, 22 states, and 33 counties. Promising Practices was developed by CIDRAP and the Pew Center on the States (PCS), part of the Pew Charitable Trusts.
A database search can be done by state or topic and by area of special interest, such as materials translated into multiple languages and tool kits for schools The site addresses issues such as altering standards of clinical care, communicating effectively about pandemic flu, and delaying and reducing the impact of a pandemic. Other topics range from triage of possible flu patients and reopening closed hospitals to guidance for schools, isolation and quarantine strategies, and mortuary planning.
http://www.pandemicpractices.org/
10-Point Framework for Pandemic Influenza Business Contingency Planning
This original document was produced by CIDRAP staff and reviewed by 19 business professionals representing a wide spectrum of industry sectors and relevant job functions. Free upon request online. http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy- University of Minnesota May, 2006
For an analysis of the "National strategy for pandemic influenza- Implementation plan" see "New US pandemic plan stresses local self-reliance" May 4, 2006.