by Jose Cardenas, USCM Intern
May 22, 2006

The Administration released May 3 the federal government’s plan for preparedness and response in the event of an avian or pandemic flu outbreak. The National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza, outlines federal agencies’ response and the expectations that will be placed before local and state government should an epidemic emerge. The Strategy is a response to recent outbreaks of avian influenza, also known as H5N1 influenza, that have infected bird populations in Asia, Europe and Africa.

While influenza viruses have affected human populations for generations, a pandemic can develop when human populations are exposed to new strains of influenza viruses that humans are neither accustomed nor immune to. These strains have the potential to cause great harm, as these viruses are easily transferable in day-to-day human activity.

Moreover, animal populations, such as migratory birds, serve as a reservoir for new influenza viruses.

While no pandemic currently exists in the United States, the Strategy looks to curb and contain the spread of avian influenza in the United States. Current estimates of a pandemic influenza crisis project 200,000 to 2 million human death count in the U.S. alone.

The National Response Plan (NRP) will be the main coordinating mechanism for the federal government. However, while the federal government will take on the coordinating effort on a national scale, communities will have to take the initiative to implement local strategies to combat a pandemic. In case of pandemic federal funds will be disbursed across the nation and local communities will be forced to defend themselves on limited funds. This means that local communities must find innovative, cost-effective measures, as well as look to local or state revenues for additional funding in order to effectively stave off a pandemic.

The Strategy outlines certain sectors where local governments will be adversely affected in case of a pandemic. In the transportation sector, local governments in conjunction with the federal governments will need to weigh the costs and benefits of transportation measures. Containing a pandemic is key to the national strategy, and restricting the travel of live animal and animal product will be essential. In addition, while unlikely, the need to restrict domestic travel may be considered in order to delay the spread and allow for local communities to stockpile vaccines. On the federal level, screening non-domestic travelers into the country for influenza as well as quarantine and isolation of domestic air travelers affected with influenza will be adopted in case of pandemic.

Furthermore, the Strategy calls on all public health officials, especially local health officials, in educating the population on measures that may be undertaken to protect themselves. Such measures should range from basic sanitation to caring for ill family members, but must be done in order to minimize the risks of disease transmission. At the federal level, the stockpiling of enough vaccines to treat 20 million people prior to pandemic will be undertaken. The federal government will work with local governments to help prioritize the distribution of vaccines and antiviral medications to those individuals that can reduce the goals of mortality and severe morbidity, that can maintain critical infrastructure and societal functions, that can mitigate economic impacts, and maintain national security.

For more information on the plan and flu preparedness, visit the www.pandemicflu.gov.