Snowy Owl
Retired in 2010, In Memoriam
Task force offers training on preparing for avian flu
Tuesday, March 13, 2007BY T.W. BURGER
Of Our Carlisle Bureau
A local group will hold free training sessions this month and in April to help families know what to do if an avian flu epidemic breaks out.
The Cumberland County Pandemic Action Community Task Force has scheduled several public sessions.
While no avian flu cases have been confirmed in the U.S., local officials have said it's better to prepare for the worst.
At the December launch of the committee, Jeff Conway, executive director of the United Way of Carlisle and Cumberland County, said, "People need to be prepared in case it does come."
Flu viruses usually don't infect humans, but rare cases of human infection have been reported since 1997.
Most such cases are believed to have resulted from direct contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces.
Human-to-human spread of the disease is unusual, but if a pandemic were to occur, the results could be staggering, Conway said. Of those infected, as many as half would die, he said.
AVIAN FLU TRAINING
The Cumberland County Pandemic Action Community Task Force has scheduled these sessions for residents:
Thursday at 2 and 6 p.m., First Church of God, 121 E. King St., Shippensburg.
Friday at 2 p.m., St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 201 W. Louther St., Carlisle.
March 28 at 6 p.m., the Carlisle Police Station, 240 Lincoln St.
April 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the training room of Tuckey Inc., 12 Stover Drive, Carlisle.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007BY T.W. BURGER
Of Our Carlisle Bureau
A local group will hold free training sessions this month and in April to help families know what to do if an avian flu epidemic breaks out.
The Cumberland County Pandemic Action Community Task Force has scheduled several public sessions.
While no avian flu cases have been confirmed in the U.S., local officials have said it's better to prepare for the worst.
At the December launch of the committee, Jeff Conway, executive director of the United Way of Carlisle and Cumberland County, said, "People need to be prepared in case it does come."
Flu viruses usually don't infect humans, but rare cases of human infection have been reported since 1997.
Most such cases are believed to have resulted from direct contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces.
Human-to-human spread of the disease is unusual, but if a pandemic were to occur, the results could be staggering, Conway said. Of those infected, as many as half would die, he said.
AVIAN FLU TRAINING
The Cumberland County Pandemic Action Community Task Force has scheduled these sessions for residents:
Thursday at 2 and 6 p.m., First Church of God, 121 E. King St., Shippensburg.
Friday at 2 p.m., St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 201 W. Louther St., Carlisle.
March 28 at 6 p.m., the Carlisle Police Station, 240 Lincoln St.
April 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the training room of Tuckey Inc., 12 Stover Drive, Carlisle.