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