Mellie
Well-known member
http://www.crgazette.com/2006/12/17/Home/pandemic.htm
Pandemic plan: Watch, educate, stockpile
Published: 12/17/2006 3:05 PM
By: Associated Press - Associated Press
DES MOINES, IA - Hospital beds have been counted, doses of antiviral drugs have been stockpiled and practice drills have been run. All there is left to do is wait.
The federal government asked states to begin preparing for a pandemic flu outbreak years ago, but since 2003 the possibility of the bird flu has heightened the urgency to get a plan in place.
Just over half of all states had such a plan set in 2004. Today, all states have at least preliminary drafts of how they would respond should a pandemic flu outbreak strike.
Iowa has used a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention model to estimate how many people could become ill should a flu pandemic strike - up to 1 million people. The state also has counted how many licensed hospital beds it has - 11,731 - and state health officials said that would be enough for Iowa hospitals to handle those who become ill.
Although they are preparing for up to 35 percent of Iowans to get sick, state health officials said it's unlikely that many people would fall ill at once.
``Historically, pandemics come in waves, and we don't know how many waves will come, but all 11,731 hospital beds won't be needed at the same time,'' said Nicole Peckumn, a state health department spokeswoman.
The state also is estimating that as many as 2,000 Iowans could die from a pandemic flu, she said.
To prepare, Iowa has secured nearly 600,000 courses - or number of doses needed to treat one person - of antiviral drugs. Those numbers are based on federal recommendations to prepare for 25 percent of a state's population to be affected by a pandemic flu.
The state has also put together a plan for the transfer of overflow patients from hospitals into makeshift community health centers.
Peckumn said the plan does not specify locations but gives guidelines local officials should follow in setting up temporary centers, located at sites such as school gyms or community centers.
``But all response will start locally,'' she said. ``We don't give them a specific location because each county's resources will be different. We give them a planning check list of things to think about to help them plan.''
The state has received more than $3.6 million in federal money to prepare for a pandemic flu outbreak. About $2.6 million of that was given to local public health departments and hospitals. The state has also approved $4.8 million to purchase, manage and distribute antivirals that would be administered.
The antivirals that are being stockpiled - Tamiflu, which is a pill, and Reflenza, an orally inhaled drug - will be used primarily for treatment once symptoms are displayed, Peckumn said.
A vaccine to prevent illness can't be developed until a strain of influenza is identified - a process that could take up to six months. In addition, there is no established priority for identifying who would be vaccinated.
``Priority groups can only be determined once the virus emerges,'' Peckumn said.
The state began practicing its response to a pandemic flu outbreak nearly a year ago.
Since then, state and local officials have conducted six tabletop exercises with a full-scale exercise taking place in September, when responders from 10 Iowa counties and state agencies practiced a statewide response to a flu outbreak.
The biggest areas of improvement in planning is community involvement, Peckumn said.
She said local businesses, school and churches need to encourage residents to prepare for a public health emergency.
``The big message we're pushing is personal preparedness, making sure you and your family are prepared ... ,'' Peckumn said.
Peckumn said a shortage of health care professionals in Iowa also could be a big issue, although the severity of the problem depends on the severity of the pandemic.
Officials use a statewide surveillance network comprised of 22 hospitals as well as clinics, schools, child care centers, businesses and long term care centers, to identify and track diseases. In all, 90 sites make up the Web-based reporting system. The University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory tests lab samples to determine the exact strain of influenza.
Despite all the planning and practicing, state health officials admit much is still unknown about what affect a flu pandemic would have on the state.
``You can never predict what will happen,'' Peckumn said. ``All you can do is have all the channels in place so that when something does happen you can have a quick, rapid response.''
Pandemic plan: Watch, educate, stockpile
Published: 12/17/2006 3:05 PM
By: Associated Press - Associated Press
DES MOINES, IA - Hospital beds have been counted, doses of antiviral drugs have been stockpiled and practice drills have been run. All there is left to do is wait.
The federal government asked states to begin preparing for a pandemic flu outbreak years ago, but since 2003 the possibility of the bird flu has heightened the urgency to get a plan in place.
Just over half of all states had such a plan set in 2004. Today, all states have at least preliminary drafts of how they would respond should a pandemic flu outbreak strike.
Iowa has used a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention model to estimate how many people could become ill should a flu pandemic strike - up to 1 million people. The state also has counted how many licensed hospital beds it has - 11,731 - and state health officials said that would be enough for Iowa hospitals to handle those who become ill.
Although they are preparing for up to 35 percent of Iowans to get sick, state health officials said it's unlikely that many people would fall ill at once.
``Historically, pandemics come in waves, and we don't know how many waves will come, but all 11,731 hospital beds won't be needed at the same time,'' said Nicole Peckumn, a state health department spokeswoman.
The state also is estimating that as many as 2,000 Iowans could die from a pandemic flu, she said.
To prepare, Iowa has secured nearly 600,000 courses - or number of doses needed to treat one person - of antiviral drugs. Those numbers are based on federal recommendations to prepare for 25 percent of a state's population to be affected by a pandemic flu.
The state has also put together a plan for the transfer of overflow patients from hospitals into makeshift community health centers.
Peckumn said the plan does not specify locations but gives guidelines local officials should follow in setting up temporary centers, located at sites such as school gyms or community centers.
``But all response will start locally,'' she said. ``We don't give them a specific location because each county's resources will be different. We give them a planning check list of things to think about to help them plan.''
The state has received more than $3.6 million in federal money to prepare for a pandemic flu outbreak. About $2.6 million of that was given to local public health departments and hospitals. The state has also approved $4.8 million to purchase, manage and distribute antivirals that would be administered.
The antivirals that are being stockpiled - Tamiflu, which is a pill, and Reflenza, an orally inhaled drug - will be used primarily for treatment once symptoms are displayed, Peckumn said.
A vaccine to prevent illness can't be developed until a strain of influenza is identified - a process that could take up to six months. In addition, there is no established priority for identifying who would be vaccinated.
``Priority groups can only be determined once the virus emerges,'' Peckumn said.
The state began practicing its response to a pandemic flu outbreak nearly a year ago.
Since then, state and local officials have conducted six tabletop exercises with a full-scale exercise taking place in September, when responders from 10 Iowa counties and state agencies practiced a statewide response to a flu outbreak.
The biggest areas of improvement in planning is community involvement, Peckumn said.
She said local businesses, school and churches need to encourage residents to prepare for a public health emergency.
``The big message we're pushing is personal preparedness, making sure you and your family are prepared ... ,'' Peckumn said.
Peckumn said a shortage of health care professionals in Iowa also could be a big issue, although the severity of the problem depends on the severity of the pandemic.
Officials use a statewide surveillance network comprised of 22 hospitals as well as clinics, schools, child care centers, businesses and long term care centers, to identify and track diseases. In all, 90 sites make up the Web-based reporting system. The University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory tests lab samples to determine the exact strain of influenza.
Despite all the planning and practicing, state health officials admit much is still unknown about what affect a flu pandemic would have on the state.
``You can never predict what will happen,'' Peckumn said. ``All you can do is have all the channels in place so that when something does happen you can have a quick, rapid response.''