Giuseppe
Emeritus
At-Risk Populations and Pandemic Influenza: Planning Guidance for State, Territorial, Tribal, and Local Health Departments [Excerpts - Full text PDF file format attached - ioh]
Introduction
In 2007, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop guidance for state, territorial, tribal, and local health departments on at-risk populations in an influenza pandemic.
ASTHO worked with state, local, tribal, and territorial health agencies; federal entities including CDC; and other key stakeholders to develop this guidance.
The premise of this guidance is that certain populations are at increased risk of harm during an influenza pandemic; special provisions, plans, and procedures must be arranged prior to an event to ensure the health and safety of these groups.
Prior to this project, there was no specific national guidance in place to direct the development of such plans.
Public health agencies function to convene and collaborate with community partners in order to protect and promote the health of the population within their jurisdiction.
They have a vital role in coordinating key activities that bring together a multitude of partners.
In a public health emergency such as pandemic influenza, this convening role is integral to providing guidance and coordination among the people who put support activities into action.
Both CDC and ASTHO recognize that many entities have work in progress to develop plans and procedures for at-risk populations in emergencies.
This guidance differs from those projects because of its singular focus on pandemic influenza.
While many of the recommendations provided in this guidance will be applicable to all-hazards planning, specific considerations come into play in an influenza pandemic that cannot be addressed in all-hazards planning.
Influenza pandemics are widespread events that affect all jurisdictions.
They occur over extended periods of time, affect the entire country, and may include a series of waves rather than one isolated outbreak. During a severe pandemic, hospitals and other healthcare centers are likely to be overwhelmed with patients, and business may experience a substantial reduction in staff.
This guidance offers public information and recommendations to health departments on how they can provide support to at-risk populations in such an event.
Although not the primary audience, community-based organizations (CBOs), faith-based organizations (FBOs), non-profit service providers, businesses, etc, will also find the guidance useful for identifying key areas where they should collaborate with the public health departments to reach at-risk populations.(...)
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http://www.astho.org/pubs/ASTHO_ARPP_Guidance_June3008.pdf
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Introduction
In 2007, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop guidance for state, territorial, tribal, and local health departments on at-risk populations in an influenza pandemic.
ASTHO worked with state, local, tribal, and territorial health agencies; federal entities including CDC; and other key stakeholders to develop this guidance.
The premise of this guidance is that certain populations are at increased risk of harm during an influenza pandemic; special provisions, plans, and procedures must be arranged prior to an event to ensure the health and safety of these groups.
Prior to this project, there was no specific national guidance in place to direct the development of such plans.
Public health agencies function to convene and collaborate with community partners in order to protect and promote the health of the population within their jurisdiction.
They have a vital role in coordinating key activities that bring together a multitude of partners.
In a public health emergency such as pandemic influenza, this convening role is integral to providing guidance and coordination among the people who put support activities into action.
Both CDC and ASTHO recognize that many entities have work in progress to develop plans and procedures for at-risk populations in emergencies.
This guidance differs from those projects because of its singular focus on pandemic influenza.
While many of the recommendations provided in this guidance will be applicable to all-hazards planning, specific considerations come into play in an influenza pandemic that cannot be addressed in all-hazards planning.
Influenza pandemics are widespread events that affect all jurisdictions.
They occur over extended periods of time, affect the entire country, and may include a series of waves rather than one isolated outbreak. During a severe pandemic, hospitals and other healthcare centers are likely to be overwhelmed with patients, and business may experience a substantial reduction in staff.
This guidance offers public information and recommendations to health departments on how they can provide support to at-risk populations in such an event.
Although not the primary audience, community-based organizations (CBOs), faith-based organizations (FBOs), non-profit service providers, businesses, etc, will also find the guidance useful for identifying key areas where they should collaborate with the public health departments to reach at-risk populations.(...)
-
http://www.astho.org/pubs/ASTHO_ARPP_Guidance_June3008.pdf
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