What is a pandemic?A pandemic is a global outbreak of disease that occurs when a new virus appears or “emerges” in the human population, causes serious illness, and then spreads easily from person to person worldwide. It is not uncommon for a pandemic event to last for 12-18 months with as many as three waves of new infections, each of which can last for six to eight weeks. How are pandemics different from seasonal outbreaks of influenza?Seasonal outbreaks or "epidemics" are caused by subtypes of influenza viruses that already circulate among people. Pandemic outbreaks are caused by new subtypes, by subtypes that have never circulated among people, or by subtypes that have not circulated among people for a long time. Past pandemics have led to high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life could be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Are we experiencing a current pandemic?Officials at the World Health Organization declared an A-H1N1 swine influenza pandemic in 2009 as the number of infections grew and spread across several continents. What exactly is H1N1 and how is it spread?H1N1 is a flu virus of swine origin that first caused illness in Mexico and the United States in spring 2009. H1N1 flu spreads in the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread, mainly through the coughs and sneezes of people who are sick with the virus, but it may also be spread by touching infected objects and then touching your nose or mouth. H1N1 infection has been reported to cause a wide range of flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. What should your agency do to prevent the spread of a virus?Your employees should practice good health habits and common-sense steps to stop the spread of germs such as: covering coughs and sneezes with tissues; washing hands frequently; using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; staying home for at least 24 hours after a fever has ended; getting a vaccine when available; and avoiding others who are sick, if at all possible.
What should your agency do to prepare for H1N1?Let's answer this question with a question: How would the normal business operations of your agency be affected if a significant portion of your staff were absent due to illness or for the need to care for an ill family member? For example, what if schools and daycare centers were to close either for precautionary reasons or because of an actual pandemic outbreak? Your employees with minor children may have unplanned childcare issues which could lead to absenteeism. If state and federal authorities recommended the general public avoid/limit physical contact with others, consider the impact to your agency. Employees who rely upon public transportation may to not be able to commute to work. Mail delivery could be limited/halted. Foot traffic into your agency would decrease. Vendors may cease providing services your agency depends upon. In severe situations, your agency might be forced to use staggered shifts, implement personal space limitations, reduce hours of operation or even close your facility to mitigate and control the spread of a virus. These preventive steps fall into the category of "social distancing" whereby your employees are limiting their social interaction with other employees and the general public. You should be thinking about and discussing with your staff the possible impact a pandemic could have on your operations. Education and outreach help you make informed decisions. IA&B ResourcesGuides for BusinessesState Governmental ResourcesEach of our three states have devoted resources to informing the public of the current status of H1N1. Delaware Maryland
Pennsylvania Federal Governmental ResourcesCoverage Issues
News you can use | Quick Links |
