Home Care and Preparedness for Influenza Pandemic

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Home Care and Preparedness for Influenza
Pandemic
American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter
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American Red CrossPreparing for an Influenza
Pandemic
Masks were distributed by the American Red Cross
to the 39th Regiment marching through the
streets of Seattle in 1918.
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Influenza PandemicPublic Education and
Information Goals
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Education and Information Goals
General Public Internal Audiences

• To increase awareness and knowledge, including
  facts about transmission and prevention and
  healthy practices to adopt to reduce spread of
  pandemic flu.

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Education and Information Goals
General Public Internal Audiences

• To increase the sense of responsibility to
  understand the threat of an influenza pandemic
  and to help decrease the risk of transmission.

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Education and Information Goals
General Public Internal Audiences

• To provide information about care and comfort to
  oneself and others who have pandemic flu.

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Education and Information Goals

• To ensure consistent education messages
  throughout the community.

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Education and Information Goals

• To educate to be effective leaders for public
  education and information related to pandemic flu
  in their various environments.

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Education and Information Goals

• To continue effective dialogue with and among
  federal agencies and non-governmental
  organizations to ensure consistent messages to
  the public regardless of the source.

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Red Cross Public Education Role

• Public Information Education
• Provide Home Care Brochures
• Provide Preparedness Presentations
• Provide Information at Community Events
• Provide Updates as Needed

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Influenza Signs and Symptoms Influenza Pandemic
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True or False?MOST common signs of flu include
fever, cough, runny nose and muscle pain?
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• TRUE!
• Other symptoms that can be present are diarrhea,
  extreme tiredness, headache and sore throat.

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• True or False?
• DURING a pandemic you should call your
  health-care provider at the first sign of flu?

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• TRUE!
• During a Pandemic, you SHOULD call your health
  care provider at the first signs of the flu.

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• True or False?
• WASH your hands at least three times per day when
  caring for someone with the flu?

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• FALSE
• You should wash your hands often.

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• True or False?
• IF someone shows signs of flu they can continue
  their normal routine for about three days?

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• FALSE
• They should stay home.

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• True or False?
• FAMILIES should make a Pandemic Flu Plan?

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• TRUE!
• Similar to the way you make a Family Disaster
  Plan.

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Differences Between Seasonal and Pandemic Flu
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• SEASONAL FLU
• Caused by influenza viruses similar to those
  already affecting people.
• Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and
  muscle pain. Deaths can occur from
  complications.
• Those at risk are the very young, elderly, or
  those with underlying health conditions.
• Modest impact on society.

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• PANDEMIC FLU
• New influenza virus that is likely to be more
  severe and affect more people.
• Symptoms similar to the common flu but may be
  more severe and complications more serious.
• Healthy adults may be at increased risk for
  serious complications.
• A severe pandemic could change patterns of daily
  life for some time.
• Currently, there is no pandemic flu

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World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic
Phases
Low risk of human cases
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Higher risk of human cases
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No or very limited human-to-human transmission
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Evidence of increased human-to-human transmission
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Evidence of significant human-to-human
transmission
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Efficient and sustained human-to-human
transmission
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Preventing the Spread of Flu
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How You Get the Flu Virus?

• Typical incubation 2 days Range 1 - 4 days
• Virus cycle
• Can begin 1 day before symptom onset
• Peak in first 3 days of illness
• Correlates with temperature
• Subsides after 5 days in adults, can be 10 days
  in children

Transmission is predominately droplet spread
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• Healthy habits help with prevention..
• Clean your hands often.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you
  cough or sneeze.
• Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and
  mouth.
• If you have signs or symptoms of the flu STAY
  HOME.
• Consider wearing a surgical mask.

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• When a household member is sick..
• The most important thing for those who are not
  sick is to wash their hands often.
• Caregivers should wash before and immediately
  after contact with the person who is sick.
• Follow the steps for proper hand washing.

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• When a household member is sick..
• Take appropriate steps to wash away germs in the
  home when someone has the flu.
• Keep everyones personal items separate.
• Designate one person as the caregiver.

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Monitor One Who has the Pandemic Flu
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• Monitoring a sick household member..
• Call your health-care professional at the first
  signs or symptoms.
• Keep a care log. Check signs and symptoms at
  least every four hours and make annotations.
• Have your care log handy when talking with your
  doctor.
• Follow up with doctor if symptoms worsen.

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Caring for One who has the Pandemic Flu
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• Caring for a sick household member..
• Get plenty of rest.
• Drink plenty of liquids to prevent dehydration.
• Avoid alcohol and tobacco.

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• Caring for a sick household member..
• Take medications to reduce fever and relieve flu
  symptoms.
• Provide fluids with electrolytes when fever,
  diarrhea or vomiting is present.
• In some cases health-care professionals will
  prescribe certain antiviral drugs.

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Prepare for a Flu Pandemic
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• How to prepare for a Flu Pandemic...
• Make a plan for a flu pandemic.
• Keep extra supplies at home.
• Make a plan how your family will cope with school
  closings, if you cant go to work, and how to
  replenish home supplies.

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• How to prepare for a Flu Pandemic...
• You need to be prepared to sustain your family
  for at least two weeks.
• Take home and complete the Flu Pandemic Planning
  Worksheet.

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Family Preparedness Checklist

• Water
• Non-perishable foods
• Flashlights / Batteries
• Battery or Crank Radio
• Medications (Rx and OTC)
• Thermometer
• Household Cleaning Products, etc.
• Alcohol-based Hand Sanitizers

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Caring for Someone at Home

• Plan for home care
• Supplies and Materials
• Proper Hand Hygiene
• ID one caregiver
• Isolate in home
• Monitor
• Disinfect frequently
• Take care of yourself

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In Conclusion

• The information presented today is not intended
  as a substitute for professional medical care or
  current public health advice.
• Further information can be found by visiting the
  official web sites of Health Human Services
  (HHS), Centers of Disease Control (CDC), and
  World Health Organization (WHO).
• Visit www.pandemicflu.gov.

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In Conclusion

• Your participation today was a step on the way of
  being informed.
• You can contact the St. Louis Area Chapter for
  Preparedness information at [phone] or log
  on at www.redcrossstl.org.