Sally Furniss
Well-known member
Thanks Sniffles
By Gail Goodger Monday, 23rd October 2006
http://www.odt.co.nz/article.php?refid=2006,10,23,4,00400,8e380102f78f725b7ca4d392a8f90809§=1
Special medical centres solely for people with bird flu will be created in up to 10 places in Otago-Southland if a pandemic strikes across the South.
The aim is to keep people with bird flu away from other patients at family doctors? practices by having pandemic victims go to the special medical centres instead, according to the Otago and Southland district health boards? pandemic plan.
If the pandemic peaked in Otago, the region would have three of the community-based assessment centres in Dunedin and one each in Oamaru, Balclutha and Dunstan.
Southland would have four around the region and, because its population is so dispersed, could also have smaller centres in other locations as well, the plan says.
The overall objective is to flatten the pandemic ?peak?, by slowing or stopping bird flu (influenza) spreading so fewer people are sick at any one time.
Influenza can exhaust the body?s immune system. Then complications such as pneumonia can develop, making people sicker and even killing them, the plan says. So exposure to the disease should be limited as much as possible until a vaccine is developed and available.
In a pandemic, health services could be swamped, effective treatments would probably not be available immediately, and essential services would be stretched as staff fell ill.
That means individuals and the region need to be as selfsufficient as possible, the plan says.
The most effective tactics to combat a pandemic would include people washing and drying their hands thoroughly, keeping about a metre away from other people, avoiding crowds and staying home when sick.
People also need to have stocks of food, water and other necessities so they could stay at home for some time, the plan says.
Health boards would have antibiotics and antiviral medication stocks specifically for a pandemic, along with stocks of personal protection gear and critical clinical supplies.
Special guidelines for health staff would ensure everyone had the same access to treatment and care.
Organisations caring for people in the community in rest homes, their own homes or other locations have also created plans for continuing that care during a pandemic, the plan says.
The World Health Organisation has been encouraging all countries to plan for the predicted pandemic. Otago and Southland have been working on their plan since September 2005 and will review it frequently.
National plans have also been created.
A pandemic is inevitable, but the timing, scale and nature of the disease strain is not yet known, the plan says.
Pandemics are worldwide epidemics of infectious diseases, caused by emerging or re-emerging diseases.
Otago-Southland Avian Influenza Response Group chairwoman Dr Marion Poore said plans to combat the bird flu pandemic could be used for any infectious disease, and links established while creating the plan would help during any disaster.
By Gail Goodger Monday, 23rd October 2006
http://www.odt.co.nz/article.php?refid=2006,10,23,4,00400,8e380102f78f725b7ca4d392a8f90809§=1
Special medical centres solely for people with bird flu will be created in up to 10 places in Otago-Southland if a pandemic strikes across the South.
The aim is to keep people with bird flu away from other patients at family doctors? practices by having pandemic victims go to the special medical centres instead, according to the Otago and Southland district health boards? pandemic plan.
If the pandemic peaked in Otago, the region would have three of the community-based assessment centres in Dunedin and one each in Oamaru, Balclutha and Dunstan.
Southland would have four around the region and, because its population is so dispersed, could also have smaller centres in other locations as well, the plan says.
The overall objective is to flatten the pandemic ?peak?, by slowing or stopping bird flu (influenza) spreading so fewer people are sick at any one time.
Influenza can exhaust the body?s immune system. Then complications such as pneumonia can develop, making people sicker and even killing them, the plan says. So exposure to the disease should be limited as much as possible until a vaccine is developed and available.
In a pandemic, health services could be swamped, effective treatments would probably not be available immediately, and essential services would be stretched as staff fell ill.
That means individuals and the region need to be as selfsufficient as possible, the plan says.
The most effective tactics to combat a pandemic would include people washing and drying their hands thoroughly, keeping about a metre away from other people, avoiding crowds and staying home when sick.
People also need to have stocks of food, water and other necessities so they could stay at home for some time, the plan says.
Health boards would have antibiotics and antiviral medication stocks specifically for a pandemic, along with stocks of personal protection gear and critical clinical supplies.
Special guidelines for health staff would ensure everyone had the same access to treatment and care.
Organisations caring for people in the community in rest homes, their own homes or other locations have also created plans for continuing that care during a pandemic, the plan says.
The World Health Organisation has been encouraging all countries to plan for the predicted pandemic. Otago and Southland have been working on their plan since September 2005 and will review it frequently.
National plans have also been created.
A pandemic is inevitable, but the timing, scale and nature of the disease strain is not yet known, the plan says.
Pandemics are worldwide epidemics of infectious diseases, caused by emerging or re-emerging diseases.
Otago-Southland Avian Influenza Response Group chairwoman Dr Marion Poore said plans to combat the bird flu pandemic could be used for any infectious disease, and links established while creating the plan would help during any disaster.