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Dr. Ralph Cordell of the Centers for Disease Control speaks to residents at Bay College Friday. Cordell visited the college to discuss the importance of preparing for a possible influenza pandemic in the future.By Julie Knauf</td></tr><tr><td>
jknauf@dailypress.net
ESCANABA — Bird flu may not be front and center in the media anymore, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a threat. The potential for an influenza pandemic — a global outbreak of the disease — is merely a “matter of time,” said Dr. Ralph Cordell of the Centers for Disease Control.
Cordell visited Bay College Friday as part of the Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District’s National Safe Schools/Healthy Students Conference Friday and Saturday. While there, he discussed the likelihood of a flu pandemic and methods that communities can use to prepare for one as recommended by the CDC.
“The fact that (a flu pandemic) hasn’t happened, doesn’t mean it won’t happen,” said Cordell. The current status of bird flu, or avian influenza, resembles a fire in a hearth. “The fireplace is where the action is going on, but every once in awhile, a spark pops out, gets on the rug and starts to burn it,” he said.
Similarly, while bird flu originated in birds, it has crossed over into the human population, said Cordell. For the time being, the flu strain is generally not spread from human to human contact. However, it does have a couple disturbing characteristics, he said.
First, the death rate of bird flu in humans is approximately 60 percent, 30 times greater than the death rate of the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918.
Secondly, flu strains change frequently, sometimes so much that an entirely new vaccination must be produced to fight it — a process that can take six to nine months. In the meantime, humans’ immune systems struggle to fight the strain, said Cordell.
“The worst time to put on a life preserver is when the boat goes down,” he said. To prepare for a possible pandemic outbreak, the CDC recommends the following:
Good hygiene, as well as social distancing, are both important to prevent the possible spread of disease. “I’m a big believer in hand washing, but it’s only part of the solution,” said Cordell. “Communities need to address crowding and social contact also.”
Opportunities for residents to practice good hygiene should be increased (for example, placing antibacterial gel dispensers in school hallways).
Workplaces also need to allow employees non-punitive sick leave. The best approach is to regard ill workers as no different than a person who comes to the office with a pistol, said Cordell. A disease with the potential for serious illness or death is an equal or greater threat to employees as that of a gun, he said.
“There really needs to be a culture shift,” continued Cordell. Societal attitudes encourage many people to go to work when they’re ill, if necessary, but “they really need to just start staying home, regardless of how long it takes to get well.”
During a pandemic outbreak, persons infected should voluntarily quarantine themselves at home until the illness passes.
Other ways residents can decrease the incidence of the disease would be to use face masks and respirators.
All of these preparations, implemented by communities and public health officials, are intended to delay an outbreaks peak number of cases, help limit the burden on hospitals and medical care facilities and diminish cases until a vaccine is available to the public, said Cordell.
Remember, “(a flu pandemic) is more than just a runny nose and some aches and pains. It’s a global disease threat. It could have started already and we just don’t know it,” he said.
_ _ _
Julie Knauf, (906) 786-2021, ext. 152, jknauf@dailypress.net
</td></tr></tbody></table>http://www.dailypress.net/stories/articles.asp?articleID=10608
hat tip crfullmoon
Dr. Ralph Cordell of the Centers for Disease Control speaks to residents at Bay College Friday. Cordell visited the college to discuss the importance of preparing for a possible influenza pandemic in the future.By Julie Knauf</td></tr><tr><td>
jknauf@dailypress.net
ESCANABA — Bird flu may not be front and center in the media anymore, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a threat. The potential for an influenza pandemic — a global outbreak of the disease — is merely a “matter of time,” said Dr. Ralph Cordell of the Centers for Disease Control.
Cordell visited Bay College Friday as part of the Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District’s National Safe Schools/Healthy Students Conference Friday and Saturday. While there, he discussed the likelihood of a flu pandemic and methods that communities can use to prepare for one as recommended by the CDC.
“The fact that (a flu pandemic) hasn’t happened, doesn’t mean it won’t happen,” said Cordell. The current status of bird flu, or avian influenza, resembles a fire in a hearth. “The fireplace is where the action is going on, but every once in awhile, a spark pops out, gets on the rug and starts to burn it,” he said.
Similarly, while bird flu originated in birds, it has crossed over into the human population, said Cordell. For the time being, the flu strain is generally not spread from human to human contact. However, it does have a couple disturbing characteristics, he said.
First, the death rate of bird flu in humans is approximately 60 percent, 30 times greater than the death rate of the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918.
Secondly, flu strains change frequently, sometimes so much that an entirely new vaccination must be produced to fight it — a process that can take six to nine months. In the meantime, humans’ immune systems struggle to fight the strain, said Cordell.
“The worst time to put on a life preserver is when the boat goes down,” he said. To prepare for a possible pandemic outbreak, the CDC recommends the following:
Good hygiene, as well as social distancing, are both important to prevent the possible spread of disease. “I’m a big believer in hand washing, but it’s only part of the solution,” said Cordell. “Communities need to address crowding and social contact also.”
Opportunities for residents to practice good hygiene should be increased (for example, placing antibacterial gel dispensers in school hallways).
Workplaces also need to allow employees non-punitive sick leave. The best approach is to regard ill workers as no different than a person who comes to the office with a pistol, said Cordell. A disease with the potential for serious illness or death is an equal or greater threat to employees as that of a gun, he said.
“There really needs to be a culture shift,” continued Cordell. Societal attitudes encourage many people to go to work when they’re ill, if necessary, but “they really need to just start staying home, regardless of how long it takes to get well.”
During a pandemic outbreak, persons infected should voluntarily quarantine themselves at home until the illness passes.
Other ways residents can decrease the incidence of the disease would be to use face masks and respirators.
All of these preparations, implemented by communities and public health officials, are intended to delay an outbreaks peak number of cases, help limit the burden on hospitals and medical care facilities and diminish cases until a vaccine is available to the public, said Cordell.
Remember, “(a flu pandemic) is more than just a runny nose and some aches and pains. It’s a global disease threat. It could have started already and we just don’t know it,” he said.
_ _ _
Julie Knauf, (906) 786-2021, ext. 152, jknauf@dailypress.net
</td></tr></tbody></table>http://www.dailypress.net/stories/articles.asp?articleID=10608
hat tip crfullmoon