| This article will hopefully help you to better | | | | health officials will not know how severe a |
| understand the threat of a pandemic influenza | | | | pandemic will be until it begins. |
| outbreak. We see lots of news reports on bird flu | | | | Why should we be prepared for the potential of a |
| and pandemics, but the truth is that we don't | | | | pandemic? In the last century there were three |
| know if H5N1 will mutate to cause the next | | | | influenza pandemics. All of them were called |
| influenza pandemic, or if it will be something else. | | | | pandemics because of their worldwide spread and |
| We also don't know if it will happen next year, 5 | | | | because they were caused by a new influenza |
| years from now or 30 years. We only know that | | | | virus. The 1918 pandemic was especially severe. |
| it will happen again. No one can predict how | | | | The 1918-1919 pandemic, often referred to as |
| severe the next pandemic will be or when it will | | | | the Spanish Flu, was the most severe. It caused |
| occur, but being prepared now may help lower | | | | at least 675,000 U.S. deaths and up to 50 million |
| the impact of an influenza pandemic on you and | | | | deaths worldwide. The 1957-1958 pandemic was |
| your family. I am going to give you some | | | | only moderately severe, and it caused at least |
| commonsense actions you can take now in | | | | 70,000 U.S. deaths and 1-2 million deaths |
| preparing your family for a pandemic. | | | | worldwide. Lastly, the 1968-1969 pandemic, |
| What is a pandemic? An influenza (flu) pandemic is | | | | dubbed the swine flu because it was believed to |
| a worldwide outbreak of a flu disease that occurs | | | | have originated in pigs, was the least severe of |
| when a new type of influenza virus appears that | | | | the three we saw in the last 100 years, still |
| people have not been exposed to before (or | | | | caused at least 34,000 U.S. deaths and 700,000 |
| have not been exposed to in a long time). The | | | | deaths worldwide. |
| pandemic virus can cause serious illness because | | | | The effects of a pandemic can be lessened if you |
| people do not have immunity to the new virus. | | | | prepare ahead of time. Preparing for any disaster |
| Pandemics are different from seasonal outbreaks | | | | will help bring peace of mind and confidence to |
| of influenza that we see every year. Seasonal | | | | deal with a pandemic. |
| influenza is caused by influenza virus types to | | | | When a pandemic starts, everyone around the |
| which people have already been exposed. Its | | | | world could be at risk. The United States has |
| impact on society is less severe than a pandemic, | | | | been working closely with other countries and the |
| and influenza vaccines (flu shots and nasal-spray | | | | World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen |
| vaccine) are available to help prevent widespread | | | | systems to detect outbreaks of influenza that |
| illness from seasonal flu. | | | | might cause a pandemic. |
| Influenza pandemics are different from many of | | | | A pandemic would touch every aspect of society, |
| the other major public health and health care | | | | so every part of society must begin to prepare. |
| threats facing our country and the world. A | | | | All have roles in the event of a pandemic. Federal, |
| pandemic will last much longer than most flu | | | | state, tribal, and local governments are developing, |
| outbreaks and may include "waves" of influenza | | | | improving, and testing their plans for an influenza |
| activity that last 6-8 weeks separated by months. | | | | pandemic. Businesses, schools, universities, and |
| The number of health care workers and first | | | | other faith-based and community organizations |
| responders able to work may be reduced. Public | | | | are also preparing plans. |