Pandemic Influenza Preparedness in Fairfax County

1
Pandemic Influenza Preparedness in Fairfax County

• Gloria Addo-Ayensu, MD, MPH
• Director of Health, Fairfax County
• November 17, 2006

2
(No Transcript)
3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6
(No Transcript)
7
History of Influenza Pandemics

• Three influenza pandemics in the 20th century
• 1918 (H1N1) 40 million deaths
• 1957 (H2N2) 2 million deaths
• 1968 (H3N2) 700,000 deaths
• Differed in type of virus, impact and populations
  most affected

8
Pandemic Flu Today

• Despite . . .
• Expanded global and national surveillance
• Better healthcare, medicines, diagnostics
• Greater vaccine manufacturing capacity
• New risks
• Increased global travel and commerce
• Greater population density
• More elderly and immunosuppressed
• More daycare and nursing homes

9
What to expect during a pandemic

• 2 or 3 waves of disease outbreak over period of a
  year or more outbreak in a community lasting
  about 2 3 months
• Possibly as many as 35 of the population
  affected, with large numbers of deaths
• Enormous demands on the health care system
• Delays and shortages in available vaccines and
  antiviral drugs
• Possible disruptions in usual services
• Simultaneous outbreaks throughout the country

10
Why plan now?

• Being proactive to ensure adequate measures are
  taken in advance will lessen the potential impact
• Preparedness will strengthen the capacity to
  respond to seasonal flu epidemics and other
  infectious disease threats
• Any community that fails to prepare, with the
  expectation that the federal government will come
  to the rescue will be tragically wrong.
• HHS Secretary Michael O.
  Leavitt, April 10, 2006

11
Pandemic Influenza Preparedness

• Occurring at all levels
• Global, Federal, State, Regional, County
• Fairfax County
• All Hazards Approach to emergency preparedness
• Planning activities began in Fall 2005
• Involves ALL county agencies, surrounding cities,
  private sector groups and partner organizations
• Deputy County Executives for Human Services
  Public Safety leading planning efforts
• Public Health
• Critical Infrastructure and Resource Mgt.

12
Public Health

• Multi-disciplinary workgroups
• Laboratory and Surveillance
• Communication and notifications
• Vaccine and antiviral distribution
• Community disease control and prevention
• Legal
• Essential needs
• First Responders
• Surge capacity
• Mass Fatality Management

13
Critical Infrastructure and Resource Management

• Strategies to lessen impact on critical services
• Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP)
• Provision of critical services
• Policies to protect the workforce
• HR, Risk Management,
• Increase capacity for telecommuting
• Workforce communications and public messaging
• Private sector planning

14
Fairfax Countys Pandemic Flu Planning Structure
15
Fairfax County Pandemic Influenza Response Plan

• Available on County website
• www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency/pandemicflu
• Describes the coordinated local strategy to
  prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic
• Supplements state and federal pandemic influenza
  response plans
• Health Department plays a critical role in
  overall response activities

16
Goal of Fairfax County Response Plan

• Contain and control disease outbreak
• Limit the number of illnesses and deaths
• Preserve continuity of essential government
  functions
• Minimize social disruptions
• Minimize economic loss

17
Impact of Planning
Prepared
18
County Pandemic Preparedness Strategies

• Develop or enhance disease surveillance programs
• Ensure mass vaccination plans are in place and
  ready to be implemented
• Establish guidelines for using antiviral
  medications
• Develop methods to implement non-medical measures
  to decrease the spread of illness
• Educate public and partners on the consequences
  of pandemic flu and how to prepare
• Assist partners with pandemic preparedness
  planning aimed at maintaining health care and
  other essential services

19
Pandemic Influenza Community Outreach

• Public education on pandemic preparedness with
  special outreach to ethnic community, elderly and
  hard to reach populations
• Self care guide to be distributed to all
  households
• Hand washing and Cover Your Cough campaign
• Physician education and N-95 fit testing program
• Summits and presentations

20
Engaging Business and Community Partners

• Town hall meeting April 18, 2006
• Business summit May 26, 2006
• Physician summit August 10,2006
• Child-care summit August 21, 2006
• Long-term care facilities Nov. 29, 2006
• Human Services partners summit December 1, 2006
• Future Summits in planning phase
• Small businesses, Ethnic communities, Faith
  community, Home Owners Associations

21
Fairfax Countys Hand Washing Campaign Your
Health is in Your Hands WASH
22
Are you prepared?

• Do you have a home disaster preparedness plan?
• Do you get a flu shot each year?
• Are you staying informed?
• What are you doing to stop germs from spreading?
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Frequent and proper hand washing
• Stay home when sick
• Remember to check the CDC website for travel
  advisories if you plan to travel.

23
Thank You
24
Resources

• www.pandemicflu.gov
• Fairfax County Hand washing Sign
• English http//www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/hdpdf/was
  hhands2005.pdf
• Spanish http//www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/hdpdf/lav
  esemanos.pdf
• Fairfax County Flu Season Sign
• http//www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/hdpdf/fluseason200
  5.pdf