Una pandemia es el brote de una enfermedad que se extiende a nivel mundial. Una pandemia de influenza se presenta cuando surge un nuevo virus del subtipo A de la gripe (contra el cual los seres humanos presentan poca o ninguna inmunidad), comienza a ocasionar enfermedades graves y luego se disemina con facilidad entre las personas de todo el mundo.

Go to: PandemicFlu.gov en Español [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

What is Avian Flu?

Avian (or bird) flu (AI) is caused by influenza viruses that occur naturally among wild birds. Low pathogenic AI is common in birds and causes few problems. H5N1 is highly pathogenic, deadly to domestic fowl, and can be transmitted from birds to humans. There is no human immunity and no vaccine is available. [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

What is H5N1?

H5N1 is a deadly strain of bird flu virus that is causing ongoing outbreaks in poultry in many parts of the world. The H5N1 virus has infected over 200 people worldwide since 2003. Very limited person to person spread of the H5N1 virus has occurred. However, close contact with sick or dying birds is the main route of human infection. The H5N1 bird flu virus is not found in the United States at this time.(1/2007) The H5N1 bird flu virus could potentially change into a human pandemic flu virus (one that easily infects humans and is spread easily from person to person. [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

Can I get bird flu from eating chicken or turkey?

No. A person cannot catch bird flu by eating cooked chicken or turkey. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands after handling raw poultry. Cooking utensils used to prepare raw poultry should be disinfected after use.

How does a pandemic get started?

A human flu pandemic begins when a non-human flu virus, such as bird flu virus, changes to be able to easily infect humans and spread easily from person to person. [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

Will a pandemic influenza occur? If so, when will it happen?

Many scientists believe it is a matter of time until the next influenza pandemic occurs. However, the timing and severity of the next pandemic cannot be predicted. Influenza pandemics occurred three times in the past century — in 1918-19, 1957-58, and 1968-69. [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

Why are pandemics such dreaded events?
Answer Influenza pandemics are remarkable events that can rapidly infect virtually all countries. Once international spread begins, pandemics are considered unstoppable, because the virus spreads very rapidly by coughing or sneezing. The fact that infected people can share the virus before symptoms appear adds to the risk of international spread via travelers.

The severity of disease and the number of deaths caused by a pandemic virus vary greatly, and cannot be known prior to the emergence of the virus. During past pandemics, attack rates reached 25-35% of the total population. Under the best circumstances, assuming that the new virus causes mild disease, the world could still experience an estimated 2 million to 7.4 million deaths (projected from data obtained during the 1957 pandemic). Projections for a more virulent virus are much higher. The 1918 pandemic, which was uniquely severe, killed at least 40 million people. In the US, the mortality rate of people infected with the virus during that pandemic was around 2.5%.

During a severe pandemic, such as the one that occurred in 1918, there would be large surges in the numbers of people requiring or seeking medical or hospital treatment, temporarily overwhelming health services. High rates of worker absenteeism could also interrupt other essential services, such as law enforcement, transportation, and communications. Because populations will be fully susceptible to a pandemic virus, rates of illness could peak fairly rapidly within a given community. This means that local social and economic disruptions may be temporary. They may, however, be amplified in today’s closely interrelated and interdependent systems of trade and commerce.

As all countries are likely to experience emergency conditions during a pandemic, opportunities for inter-country assistance, as seen during natural disasters or localized disease outbreaks, may be curtailed once international spread has begun and governments focus on protecting domestic populations. [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

How can we protect ourselves in the event of a flu pandemic?

Flu is spread from person to person through respiratory droplets. This can happen if droplets from the coughs or sneeze of a sick person travel through air and reach a nearby person’s mouth or nose. Someone who touches respiratory droplets of a sick person (by handshake or touching soiled objects and surfaces), and then touches his/her own mouth or nose without first washing their hands can also be infected.

In the event of a pandemic, certain public health measures may be important to help contain or limit the spread of infection as effectively as possible. The following actions could include:

Continue using basic control measures that limit spread of disease:

· washing hands frequently with soap and water;

· staying away from people who are sick; and

· staying home if sick

· cough or sneeze into your sleeve or tissue (to avoid spread through dirty hands)

· after coughing or sneezing, wash your hands

· do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth with dirty hands

· protect your health by eating a balanced diet, drinking fluids, and getting enough rest

Additional precautions could include:

· treating sick and exposed people with antivirals;

· isolating sick people in hospitals, homes, or other facilities;

· identifying and quarantining exposed people;

· closing schools and workplaces as needed;

· canceling public events; and

· restricting travel.

[Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

What are pandemic alert phases and what phase are we in?
The World Health Organization (WHO) developed an alert system to help inform the world about the seriousness of a pandemic. The alert system has six phases, with Phase 1 having the lowest risk of human cases and Phase 6 posing the greatest risk of pandemic.

The world is presently in Phase 3 of the Pandemic Alert. This means that there is a new influenza virus subtype causing disease in humans, but is not yet spreading in an efficient (easily transmittable) and sustainable manner among humans. [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

How Does Seasonal Flu Differ From Pandemic Flu?

Seasonal (or common) flu is a respiratory illness that can be transmitted person to person. Most people have some immunity, and a vaccine is available. Pandemic flu is virulent human flu that causes a global outbreak, or pandemic, of serious illness. Because there is little natural immunity, the disease can spread easily from person to person. Currently, there is no pandemic flu.

Seasonal or Common Flu

Occurs every year during the winter
Affects up to about 10% of the population
For most people it is an unpleasant but not life-threatening infection
The very young, the very old, and people with certain chronic illnesses are most at risk of serious illness
Annual vaccination is available
Antiviral drugs are available to treat those at special risk

Pandemic Flu

Has occurred three times in the last 90 years
Can occur at any time of the year
Is a more serious infection for everyone
People of every age may be at risk of serious illness
A vaccine probably won’t be available when the pandemic starts – when it does become available the aim will be to immunize people as rapidly as possible as vaccine supplies become available
Antiviral drugs are likely to be in limited supply and will have to be used to best effect according to how the disease develops

Vaccine against ordinary flu will not protect against pandemic flu. However, getting your annual flu shot is one of several things you can do to keep yourself healthy, and that may help you fight off the pandemic virus.

For additional information on seasonal flu visit: http://www.hhs.gov/flu or our Flu Info page. [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

Is it a Cold or the Flu?

For a chart comparing the symptoms, prevention and treatments for a cold versus the flu, view the Is It a Cold or the Flu Poster (english) or Is It a Cold or the Flu Poster (spanish). [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

What can we do now to prepare for a pandemic?

1) Make a contact plan for the whole family; discuss where to go and who to get in touch with.

2) Plan ahead for prescriptions, pets and other special needs.

3) Put together a Disaster Readiness Kit using the informational links below: on this page. The kit should include enough food and water for everyone (including pets) for at least 72 hours (3 days).

Get more information and helpful links for: individuals and families, businesses, schools and daycare facilities, faith-based and community organizations and health care providers. [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

What about antiviral medications?

Antivirals may help prevent infection in people at risk and lessen the impact of symptoms in those infected with influenza. It is unlikely that they would substantially modify the course or effectively contain the spread of an influenza pandemic. They must be taken appropriately, and under your health care providers instructions for safe and careful dosing. They must also be taken within 24-48 hours of initial symptoms to achieve desired effect. [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

Will vaccines be available?

There is currently no pandemic flu vaccine available. An effective pandemic flu vaccine is not expected to become available until months into a pandemic. This is because on one can predict what strain of virus will cause the next flu pandemic, making it nearly impossible to make a well-matched and effective vaccine in advance. [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

What are Federal, state and local governments doing to prepare?

Federal

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services developed the HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan to guide national, state, and local policy makers and health departments in pandemic preparedness and response.

The President’s pandemic plan primarily focuses on allocating funds for national stockpiles of vaccines and antiviral drugs and for the development of new vaccines. The Center for Disease Control, and USDA are actively monitoring the country for influenza activities.

Pandemic Flu

American Red Cross

Updated information and guidance for travel

HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan

HHS Pandemic Planning Update II

State

Connecticut Department of Public Health has developed a Pandemic Influenza plan, and sponsored a website. Connecticut works with federal and local officials to coordinate planning and response events for pandemic flu.

CT Department of Public Health

Public Health Preparedness & Response

State of Connecticut Flu Watch

Local - Region 37

Ledge Light Health District has developed a draft pandemic flu plan for its Mass Dispensing Region 37. The District is working closely with other health regions in the State, and border Rhode Island regions for surveillance and preparedness planning.

Region 37 represents jurisdictional planning as defined by CT DPH Mass Dispensing Areas:

1) Ledge Light Health District members: East Lyme, Groton (City/Town), Ledyard, New London, Groton

2) Additional planning towns: Lyme, Old Lyme, North Stonington, Stonington

Population: 152, 996

Since September 2006, public health officials, hospital and community health partners, and emergency management officials have been meeting to plan a response to a pandemic flu event. Underlying all planning activities is the coordination and response of all partners in any type of emergency event and the common elements of communication, isolation and quarantine, risk communication, triage and surge capacity that can be applied to any infectious disease outbreak, bioterrorism event, or natural emergency.

An advisory group of officials provides guidance and coordination to development of the plan. The advisory group and its workgroups meet monthly, the organizational structure is defined:

Public Health Preparedness: Pandemic Flu Advisory Committee

Workgroups established:

School

Business

Communications

Education

Law

Additional workgroups under development.

In addition to the information links below, future postings will include educational materials and forms developed as part of the pandemic plan for the respective groups.

For further information about the advisory committee, please contact co-chairs Monica Farina, Public Health Preparedness Coordinator or Ron Kersey, Lawrence and Memorial Hospital. [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

Disease Prevention & Response

Pandemic Flu - FAQ

What Is an Influenza Pandemic?

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza A virus emerges for which there is little or no immunity in the human population, begins to cause serious illness and then spreads easily person-to-person worldwide. [Return to Top of FAQ's >>]

Seasonal or Common Flu

Pandemic Flu