2006 Guide to Surviving Bird Flu: Common Sense Strategies and Preparedness Plans--Avian Flu and H5N1 Threat

This up-to-date compendium of major documents federal government and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides essential information on bird flu (avian flu) and the risk of pandemic influenza. It includes indispensable information on every aspect of the bird flu pandemic threat: Challenges, Preparation, Prevention, Treatment Planning Checklists for Individuals and Families Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklists for: Business, Home Health Care, State and Local Governments, School Districts, Medical Offices and Clinics, and Faith-based and Community Organizations Science-based Message Maps with Answers to common questions on: Pandemic flu, Preparedness, H5N1 Virus, Antiviral medications, Vaccines, Response, Mental Health issues The latest Pandemic Planning Update including disease monitoring, vaccines, antivirals, coordinating federal, state, and local preparations, outreach and communications planning. An influenza pandemic is a global outbreak of disease that occurs when a new influenza A virus appears or “emerges” in the human population, causes serious illness, and then spreads easily from person to person worldwide. Pandemics are different from seasonal outbreaks or “epidemics” of influenza. Seasonal outbreaks are caused by subtypes of influenza viruses that are already in existence among people, whereas pandemic outbreaks are caused by new subtypes or by subtypes that have never circulated among people or that have not circulated among people for a long time. Past influenza pandemics have led to high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. There are many different subtypes of Influenza or “flu” viruses. The subtypes differ based upon certain proteins on the surface of the virus (the hemagglutinin or “HA” protein and the neuraminidase or the “NA” protein). Pandemic viruses appear (or “emerge”) as a result of a process called "antigenic shift,” which causes an abrupt or sudden, major change in influenza A viruses. These changes are caused by new combinations of the HA and/or NA proteins on the surface of the virus. This change results in a new influenza A virus subtype. The appearance of a new influenza A virus subtype is the first step toward a pandemic, but the new virus subtype also must spread easily from person to person to cause a pandemic. Once a new pandemic influenza virus emerges and spreads, it normally becomes established among people and moves around or “circulates” for many years as seasonal epidemics of influenza. Information in this publication is not a substitute for professional medical advice; of course, readers are urged to consult with a professional health care provider for any suspected illness.