IOWA: Health department, grocery stores join in pandemic flu preparedness campaign

[Harriet]

Archived Latest News Stories

Published: Friday, September 1, 2006 12:31 PM CDT

By KRISTIN BUEHNER, of The Globe Gazette

MASON CITY — A pandemic flu preparedness campaign in which local grocery stores will play a key role was unveiled today by county health department officials.

Seven grocery stores in Mason City, Clear Lake and Rockwell will participate, said Michele Appelgate, public information officer for the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health.

It is the first time the health department has enlisted the help of grocers to disseminate information they believe is vital regarding preparing for a flu pandemic they say will occur.

“It’s difficult to predict when the next influenza pandemic will occur,” Appelgate said.

But the World Health Organization believes the world is on the brink of one, said Karen Crimmings, disease prevention and investigation service manager at the health department. “It’s not if this going to happen,” she said. “It’s when and how severe.”

Beginning Friday, Sept. 8, and continuing for four weeks, grocery store clerks will hand out educational flyers about flu preparedness with the customer’s receipt. New flyers, presenting additional information, will be given out each week, beginning Fridays. The last flyer will be dispensed on Friday, Sept. 29.

Each flyer will be a different color.


http://www.globegazette.com/articles/2006/09/01/latest_news/doc44f86dac8e6b6799018646.txt

 

[Snowy Owl]

Re: IOWA: Health department, grocery stores join in pandemic flu preparedness campaig

Re: IOWA: Health department, grocery stores join in pandemic flu preparedness campaig

This is a good news. We have sensibilise last year few private grocery stores. We have invited them to buy large bag of rice (20 pouds) instead of those small box, 20 pounds box of spaghetti, bulk Chick Peas, etc..

It worked fine, people are saving money, the stocks move out. Everybody is happy.

In order to do that we did not speak of a pandemic, we spoke about having a reserve, and save money for the consumers and bringinfg fruits stores complice with their consumers. It works.

We did that via Community Centers, not much time needed, few papers stick here and there inviting people to join a regroupment of buyers in order to save money, and the snowball starts to roll.

 

[Goju]

Re: IOWA: Health department, grocery stores join in pandemic flu preparedness campaign

Stop & Shop in the NE was doing something like that a while ago - discounts for large quantity canned goods.