Pandemic Avian Flu: Barry’s plan.
According to Secretary of HHS, William Leavitt, Avian Pandemic Influenza will be like “5000 Hurricane Katrina”.
What is Pandemic Influenza?
The avian influenza or “bird flu” is a viral disease caused by the influenza type A virus, H5N1. This virus affects mainly birds and it is spread by migratory birds. The infection occurs by direct contact with viruses shed in feces, saliva and nasal discharges.
Despite efforts to eradicate the infection by killing millions of birds in countries where it has declared itself, Avian Influenza is now endemic in some regions and it is still propagating.
The main concern with the infection is that the virus is very virulent and can be transmitted from birds to other animals, including humans. More than 50% of humans infected have died.
3 conditions have to be met to declare a pandemic. The first 2, which are a virus infectious to humans and one that has no previous immunity are presents. The last one, which is the missing one is that the virus must be able to be easily transmitted from humans to humans.
However, H5N1 continues to evolve and has the potential to become a virus with a transmission from human to human, which leads scientists to believe that a pandemic is inevitable.
Once it reaches that level, all the conditions for a pandemic will be in place. Millions of people will die and the entire planet will be affected because the disease will spread very fast and there will be no vaccine for it initially.
Impact of the pandemicOn a global scale
It will occur in waves lasting months at a time. Millions of people will die and the entire planet will be affected because the disease will spread very fast and there will be no vaccine for it initially. As the work force will be largely affected, so will the economic infrastructures. Governments activities as well as regular daily activities will probably end up undermined by the situation. No aspect of society will be left untouched by this pandemic which is probably going to be worse than others as they are more of us living on this planet and we move faster and greater distances than we did decades or centuries ago.
At Barry University
Due to the fact that people are so close to each other and in permanent contact on campuses, Barry might be affected more than other areas. We will have to deal with a crisis situation the likes of which we have never experienced. This is the reason why, Barry University developed a response plan to pandemic flu.
Barry University’s Response PlanThe overall goal of the plan is to slow the progression and spread of the disease since most experts agree that we cannot stop it.Pre-requisite for the plan to be successfulPandemic Avian Flu: Barry’s plan.Barry University-Division of Student Affairs
The plan is axed around 5 general areas:
1/ Social Distancing
2/ Isolation
3/ Quarantine
4/ Protective sequestration
5/ Public health education to reduce individuals risk of contracting the disease.
1/ Social Distancing
The school will be closed, all classes cancelled, the library will also be closed and church services interrupted.
2/ Isolation
Students very ill will be hospitalized. Students not requiring hospitalization, but that are sick, will be put in isolation quarters, to separate them from the healthy population.
3/ Quarantine
Students exposed will go in quarantine quarters.
4/ Protective sequestration
In order to protect the students, from the beginning of the pandemic and before the school closes, all students will be asked to return home. The students that are unable to go back to their home towns or parents’ houses, will stay on campus, but will be asked to remain in their rooms as much as possible. In order to avoid contact with the outside world, entry or re-entry to the campus will be limited and highly controlled.
5/ Public health education to reduce individuals risk of contracting the disease
The authorities in charge will have to communicate precise information regarding the situation, and will also have to educate about the best way for the campus population to stay flu-free. Public health education will also have for role to decrease panic, as it may lead to put people in danger and increase infection rates.
One example is that all students will be asked to get their flu shot even before the pandemic starts, since it has been shown to reduce mortality rates.
The response plan will be implemented also in accordance with directives or recommendations from the Federal Government, the State and local Health Services, the CDC and the WHO.
It is important that at every level, each department and employee knows what their duties are inside the plan and to whom they need to report if the need arises.
Also, it is important that internet, phone, TV and radio access be available to communicate.
Food supplies and beverages need to be stockpiled in advanced. And the different areas (isolation, quarantine) set up beforehand.
Finally it is important to mention that the plan has 3 levels (yellow, orange and red), and the response and departments involved will vary depending on the level of emergency.
Resources:
BUPandemicAppendixA.doc at the health center
http://pandemicflu.gov
Student Health Center
11300 NE 2nd Avenue,
Miami Shores, FL 33161-6695
Phone: 305-899-3750
Fax: 305-899-3751
E-mail: healthservices@mail.barry.edu
Tags: barry plan, Barry University, bird flu, francis wodie, francis wodie jr, pandemic avian flu, pandemic avian influenza
