During flu season, children miss more school, employees miss work. The flu seems to spread quickly between family members, friends, co-workers, and individuals sharing transportation. In our global community, it is not unlikely for a person in one country to contract a virus, carry the illness with him on a plane, and spread it to someone in a different city on the other side of the world. Viruses use the air we breathe to travel, making the transfer of illness from one person to another swift and difficult to contain. Viruses do not choose their victim; instead infection is based on ones immune system, and your body’s ability to fight off particular viral strains.
A pandemic flu occurs when a new strain of influenza virus emerges that people have little to no immunity against. If a pandemic flu were to arise, the virus would spread rapidly throughout the population, taking no head to age, gender, class or culture. In an emergency situation as this, precautions must be taken to prevent further spread of illness. Businesses and public organizations would close and people would need to stay in their homes in order to prevent further spread of the pandemic virus. Three global pandemics have occurred in just the last century, and it is impossible to accurately predict when such a catastrophe could occur in the future. Individuals and families must be prepared to maintain self-sufficiency in the case of such a disaster. Likewise, businesses must have plans which they would be prepared to enact in the instance of a future pandemic.
Currently, experts have discovered a new type of flu virus that has infected and killed many birds. This virus causes a flu called avian or bird flu. In Asia and Turkey infected birds (domesticated chickens, ducks and turkeys) have transmitted the bird flu to humans causing illness and sometimes death. Although there has been no sustained human-to-human transmission, there has been growing concern that a flu pandemic could occur. Unlike the seasonal flu, pandemic flu infects large numbers of people of all ages causing serious illness and deaths. Whether or not a flu pandemic actually occurs, you can prepare by knowing the facts about the flu and how to respond to it.
The symptoms of the bird flu, which are similar to those of the seasonal flu, are:
- Stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (more common in children)
Contact your health care provider if you have any questions about your specific symptoms.
You can take action to prevent the spread of germs and make good hygiene a habit:
- Wash your hands with soap and water or clean them with a hand sanitizer.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and clean your hands afterwards. Use soap and water or a hand sanitizer.
- Stay home if you are sick. Get plenty of rest and drink a lot of fluids.
- Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
- Keeping your living and work areas clean.
During a flu pandemic, public health officials may impose community-level restrictions to prevent the flu virus from spreading. You may be asked to stay home for an extended period of time even though you are not sick. Schools, workplaces and places of worship may be closed temporarily and mass transportation such as subways, trains and air travel may be limited. You can prepare for a flu pandemic now.
These actions may lessen the impact of a flu pandemic on you and your family:
- Store extra supplies of water and food.
- Ask your doctor and insurance company if you can get an extra supply of your regular prescription drugs.
- Store a supply of any nonprescription drugs such as pain relievers, cough and cold medicines, stomach remedies, fluids with electrolytes and vitamins.
- Store health supplies such as bleach, tissues, a thermometer, disposable gloves, soap and alcohol based hand cleaners.
- Talk with family members and loved ones about how they would be cared for if they got sick.
Download Information on Pandemic Flu for Individuals and Businesses:
Individual/Community Information
Business Information
The American Red Cross Role in a Pandemic Outbreak
The Red Cross is a key partner in local planning, preparedness, and response efforts for a potential flu pandemic, and communities will look to us for support and assistance during what will be difficult and uncertain times.
At this time the current outbreak of swine flu has not been declared a pandemic. In this preliminary phase of the swine flu outbreak, when planning for response is underway by federal, state and local, the Red Cross may be approached by emergency management or other community officials regarding what roles we will fill and what services we can provide. Equally important to defining roles that the Red Cross will undertake, we must also identify roles we are not able to assume to help manage expectations and support alternative planning for communities and partners. As the situation evolves, this guidance may be re-evaluated.
Below is guidance on what the Red Cross will – and will not – be able to undertake in response to the swine flu outburst:
The Red Cross will —
- Continue to respond to disasters of all types and sizes during pandemic flu conditions.
- Ensure a safe and adequate blood supply.
- Support the local public health officials in their distribution of educational materials and pharmaceuticals
- Educate the public and disseminate information from appropriate government sources about the nature and impact of the event, including preparedness measures, safety precautions, recommended actions, and sources of assistance.
The Red Cross will not —
- Establish congregate care facilities when local authorities advise against it or where such facilities would enhance the likelihood of disease transmission.
- Assume responsibility for the provision of medical care in medical facilities, special needs shelters, temporary infirmaries, or overflow facilities for hospitals.
- Purchase vaccines or medical supplies for use by public authorities.
- Violate worker safety guidelines published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
- Replace lost wages or assume responsibilities for needs arising from economic disruption.
- Assume responsibility for patient tracking. Formal patient tracking is typically conducted by medical care providers.
- Conduct death notifications.
- Provide transportation to medical facilities unless not doing so would violate any requirements of the chapter’s funding agreement or any pre-existing contract or agreement to provide transportation to medical facilities.
- Provide sheltering solely in response to a flu pandemic. However, when a traditional disaster strikes during flu pandemic conditions, the Red Cross will respond and address the need for sheltering, applying the most appropriate local public health precautions.
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