CANADA - Pandemic plans front and centre at GYRD meeting

[Snowy Owl]

Pandemic plans front and centre at GYRD meeting
http://www.edsonleader.com/story.php?id=253434

Grande Yellowhead Regional Division (GYRD) chief deputy superintendent Judy Grigat said a group of school boards near Edmonton met in February and the message was clear, bird flu or some other pandemic-like strain was still a hot topic.

Ed Moore
Leader staff
Monday September 11, 2006


"At all the meetings they said it's not a matter of if, it's when (a pandemic will hit)," Grigat said.

She told trustees during last Wednesday's GYRD monthly meeting that a pandemic was something that cannot be "cast in stone" as far as planning is concerned.

But the one thing that surprised Grigat was that none of the boards planned school closures if a pandemic did occur.

The chief deputy superintendent said that the board will have to ramp up discussions with the division's principals when it came to a possible pandemic and what steps could be taken to lessen the damage.

Grigat said one way would be to teach youngsters to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly in an effort to kill germs. Another way would be to instill in children the need to cover their mouths when they sneeze, she added.

Another way to lessen the pandemic is to convince teachers and bus drivers to stay off the job if they feel ill, Grigat said.

In a backgrounder paper to the board, Grigat said the World Health Organization (WHO) advised that globally a pandemic was long overdue and the influenza outbreaks in Asia, Africa and Europe has alerted WHO to the potential of this being the start of a world-wide pandemic.

Public Health Canada, Alberta Health and Wellness, Emergency Management Alberta, Aspen Regional Health and Capital Health already have plans in place.

Board chairperson Shirley Mahon asked Grigat if there were sufficient soaps and towels within Grande Yellowhead schools to ensure adequate handwashing.

Grigat replied she assumed there was but was not sure. She said more towels would be used in such a situation so the division would have to make sure there were ample supplies to ensure this.

A committee will be formed within the division that will ensure an influenza response plan is in place.

The committee will consist of director of transportation services Leigh McDonald, communications manager Nicole Merrifield and five principals (one from each zone) to be established under the direction of Grigat to develop an influenza pandemic prevention and response plan.

Mahon wondered if a trustee should be included on the committee, but Lobstick trustee Lynda Akers disagreed.

She suggested a facilities liaison person could sit on the committee. That person would be able to advise Mahon on the ongoing status of the pandemic plan. Superintendent of Schools Dean Lindquist agreed that a facility services person would be a vital member of such a committee.

Grigat said an influenza pandemic response plan would be at least six to eight months in the making.

The board passed the two recommendations necessary to get the process underway.
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[Siam]

Re: CANADA - Pandemic plans front and centre at GYRD meeting

Flu drug crisis alert
No pandemic plan: Official
By ZEN RURYK, CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF

Health board chairman John Filion sounded an alarm yesterday, warning there's no plan to provide Toronto residents with an anti-viral drug in the event of a flu pandemic.

Health officials at all three levels of government are making preparations for a predicted outbreak of a potentially lethal and highly contagious strain of flu. A flu pandemic occurs every 30 to 40 years.

He was "astonished" to find out there are no plans to supply doses of Tamiflu, an anti-viral drug, in the wake of an outbreak, Filion said.

"The most important piece that's missing is that nobody has been given responsibility for developing the assessment and treatment plan," he said.

The health board yesterday called on the provincial government to start the ball rolling on coming up with measures to tend to those who fall ill during an outbreak.

"The hospital system can't handle 1 million people," Filion said. "There's no plan for centres ... Likely more than 100 centres would have to be established. You'd have to have staff lined up. You'd have to have a sufficient supply of the Tamiflu."

TAMIFLU REDUCES SYMPTOMS

If Tamiflu is administered when a patient first shows signs of the flu, it will reduce the severity of that person's symptoms, said Dr. David McKeown, the city's medical officer of health.

If there's a flu pandemic, it would take a few months to develop a vaccine, he said.

John Letherby, of Ontario's health ministry, said that the city, province and federal government need to work out an agreement for the distribution of anti-viral drugs during a pandemic. A provincial flu pandemic plan will be released during the next several weeks, he said.

http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2006/09/15/1843220-sun.html
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