Buncombe County Government North Carolina

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Disaster Planning / Pandemic influenza and Avian flu (bird flu)

Types of Flu

There are 3 specific types of flu that are often confused:

  • Pandemic influenza is a human flu caused by a virus.; It causes a worldwide outbreak, or pandemic, of serious illness that passes easily from person to person.
  • Seasonal influenza is a human virus that usually occurs in the United States between November and April. It is transmitted from human to human through coughing, sneezing, eating after someone else, or being in close physical contact with someone who is sick. Seasonal flu can be serious for some people who are at risk of complications from the illness. A yearly flu shot can help prevent this type of influenza.
  • Avian influenza (or bird flu) is caused by influenza viruses that naturally occur among wild birds. The H5N1 variety of avian influenza is deadly to domestic birds such as chickens and ducks. This virus has been known to pass to humans when they are in close contact with the birds, however it has not easily been passed from human to human. Currently there is no vaccine for the H5N1 virus, and humans do not have immunity from it.& This virus has the potential for being the next flu pandemic.

A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus appears that the public has little or no immunity for, and there is no vaccine to prevent. A vaccine cannot be developed until the virus causing the pandemic has emerged. It will take several months for a specific vaccine to be made and distributed across the county. Because there is limited immunity at best, pandemic flu is much more serious than seasonal flu. The disease spreads easily from person-to-person causing serious illness and can sweep across the country and around the world in a very short time. It is difficult to predict when the next influenza pandemic will occur or how severe it will be. Wherever and whenever a pandemic starts, everyone around the world is at risk.

If a severe influenza pandemic occurs, many people could become sick at the same time and would be unable to go to work. Many would stay at home to care for sick family members. Schools and businesses might close to try to prevent disease spread. Large group gatherings might be canceled. Public transportation might be scarce. These are examples of challenges that local communities, schools, civic organizations, and businesses will have to work together on to plan for a pandemic response.

What is Buncombe County Doing To Prepare?

Buncombe County Health Center is working with federal, state and local government agencies and community partners to continuously update their comprehensive Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan. The plan will be a supplement to one prepared by Buncombe County Emergency Management which, in turn, supplements state and national plans.

Buncombe County’s plan outlines strategies to reduce and minimize illness, death, and social disruption in our community during and after a pandemic flu outbreak. Key components of a response include an organized system of response, accurate identification of people with disease, clear isolation and quarantine procedures, rapid delivery system for antiviral medications and vaccines, and access to appropriate medical care for all who are ill.

Good communication is critical during a crisis. Buncombe County Health Center works with a variety of local organizations and agencies in coordinating the Buncombe County Crisis Public Information Team. The team is currently comprised of public information officers from city and county government, Mission Hospitals, American Red Cross, Buncombe County Emergency Management, Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department, United Way 211, and Asheville Chamber of Commerce. The team works to enhance and coordinate interagency communication efforts before, during and after a crisis.

To facilitate preparedness efforts, Buncombe County Health Center has recently employed a Public Health Preparedness Coordinator. This position works closely with Health Center staff as well as the WNC Public Health Regional Surveillance Team, Emergency Management Services, Mission Hospitals, law enforcement, airport officials, and others to assure that Buncombe County is as prepared as possible for a serious public health threat. Plans are being coordinated and exercises performed regularly, to allow public and private agencies in Buncombe County the opportunity to practice effective responses in the event of a crisis.

There is no way of knowing when a crisis may happen. The best defense is for everyone in the community to be as prepared as possible.

Additional information and links will be added to this website as available. If you have specific questions about Buncombe County’s preparedness for a crisis you may send an email to: chris.emory@buncombecounty.org.

Business

In the event of pandemic influenza, businesses will play a key role in protecting employees' health and safety, as well as limiting the negative impact to the economy and society. Planning for pandemic influenza is critical. Companies that provide critical infrastructure services, such as power and telecommunications, have a special responsibility for continued operation in a crisis and should plan accordingly. As with any crisis, having a back-up plan is essential.

The Health and Human Services Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have developed guidelines, including a checklist, to assist businesses in planning for a pandemic outbreak as well as for other serious crisis.

For more information, please go to:pandemicflu.gov/plan/tab4.html

Home

As you plan, it is important to think about the challenges that you might face, especially if a pandemic is serious. It may take time to prepare for these challenges. In the link below are some situations that could be caused by a serious pandemic and ways they might be addressed. A checklist and fill-in sheets for family health information and emergency contact information have been prepared to help guide your planning and preparation.

Please visit: www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/tab3.html for good resources on planning for your family in times of a pandemic.

Helpful Links

Pandemic flu


Family checklists


School


Health Care