Red Cross Offers Public Information Series on Pandemic Flu
In the United States, flu season begins every fall and ends in the spring. Influenza, often called the flu, is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. This type of flu is called seasonal flu.
Rarely, a new type of flu virus may appear that people have not been exposed to before, so they have no natural resistance to it. This type of flu virus could cause a flu more serious than seasonal flu.
This flu is called Pandemic Flu. This flu spreads easily from person to person around the world in a very short time and causes serious illness and deaths.
In 2003 scientists recognized a new type of flu virus called H5N1 that has infected and killed many birds.
This virus causes a flu called Avian or Bird Flu. In Central Asia and Turkey, infected, domesticated birds have transmitted the bird flu to humans causing illness and sometimes death. Although there has been no sustained human-to-human transmission, there is a 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 death as in 1918 where 675,000 in the United States died, 1957 with 70,000 deaths and 1968 with 34,000 deaths.
?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,? said Gloria Loftin, LPN and Board Member of the Heart of Tennessee Chapter. ?Education and prior planning are the keys to our communities? ability to respond to a pandemic. The Heart of Tennessee Chapter has scheduled its first Pandemic Flu Public Education Seminar on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 6:30 p.m. at our chapter office located at 836 Commercial Court in Murfreesboro,? said Loftin. This event is free and open to the public.
The seminar will describe how influenza is spread, prevention strategies, developing a preparedness plan, preventing the spread of infection and staying informed. The seminar is open to the first 60 people who reserve a place by calling the chapter at 893-4272. ?We hope people will be moved to share the information they learn with their churches, businesses and neighbors, as well as, take advantage of the resources available from the Red Cross to present this information to people at other venues,? said Greg King, Executive Director of the American Red Cross.
Pandemic and other preparedness brochures can be viewed and downloaded from the chapter?s website at: http://hot.redcross.org/
The Heart of Tennessee American Red Cross Chapter provides vital emergency assistance to help victims of local disasters in Rutherford, Bedford and Cannon counties. Over the past year the Chapter trained nearly 8,460 people in CPR and First Aid and transmitted 191 emergency messages for military families. Over 16,000 pints of life-saving blood were collected from the community last year. All of these services are made possible by over 600 dedicated local Red Cross volunteers as well as through generous gifts from the local community. To get more information or to find out how to make a financial contribution to the local chapter please call (615) 893-4272 or log on to http://hot-redcross.org
In the United States, flu season begins every fall and ends in the spring. Influenza, often called the flu, is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. This type of flu is called seasonal flu.
Rarely, a new type of flu virus may appear that people have not been exposed to before, so they have no natural resistance to it. This type of flu virus could cause a flu more serious than seasonal flu.
This flu is called Pandemic Flu. This flu spreads easily from person to person around the world in a very short time and causes serious illness and deaths.
In 2003 scientists recognized a new type of flu virus called H5N1 that has infected and killed many birds.
This virus causes a flu called Avian or Bird Flu. In Central Asia and Turkey, infected, domesticated birds have transmitted the bird flu to humans causing illness and sometimes death. Although there has been no sustained human-to-human transmission, there is a 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 death as in 1918 where 675,000 in the United States died, 1957 with 70,000 deaths and 1968 with 34,000 deaths.
?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,? said Gloria Loftin, LPN and Board Member of the Heart of Tennessee Chapter. ?Education and prior planning are the keys to our communities? ability to respond to a pandemic. The Heart of Tennessee Chapter has scheduled its first Pandemic Flu Public Education Seminar on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 6:30 p.m. at our chapter office located at 836 Commercial Court in Murfreesboro,? said Loftin. This event is free and open to the public.
The seminar will describe how influenza is spread, prevention strategies, developing a preparedness plan, preventing the spread of infection and staying informed. The seminar is open to the first 60 people who reserve a place by calling the chapter at 893-4272. ?We hope people will be moved to share the information they learn with their churches, businesses and neighbors, as well as, take advantage of the resources available from the Red Cross to present this information to people at other venues,? said Greg King, Executive Director of the American Red Cross.
Pandemic and other preparedness brochures can be viewed and downloaded from the chapter?s website at: http://hot.redcross.org/
The Heart of Tennessee American Red Cross Chapter provides vital emergency assistance to help victims of local disasters in Rutherford, Bedford and Cannon counties. Over the past year the Chapter trained nearly 8,460 people in CPR and First Aid and transmitted 191 emergency messages for military families. Over 16,000 pints of life-saving blood were collected from the community last year. All of these services are made possible by over 600 dedicated local Red Cross volunteers as well as through generous gifts from the local community. To get more information or to find out how to make a financial contribution to the local chapter please call (615) 893-4272 or log on to http://hot-redcross.org
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