Pandemic Flu Prep Necessary, "Daunting," Texas Medicine Reports

Main Category: Flu / Cold / SARS
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Article Date: 09 Oct 2007 - 11:00 PDT

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Pandemic flu is waiting to strike. Even though public health organizations are preparing, others need to prepare now as well, according to the October Texas Medicine magazine. Physicians fear that because little new information is being reported about the potential pandemic outbreak of the avian flu, people will become complacent, and not be prepared for its strike.

The October edition of the official publication of the Texas Medical Association (TMA) examines several aspects of the potential pandemic outbreak, including a primer on pandemic flu, triaging patients before they're hospitalized, and caring for children in a pandemic situation. "This special issue on pandemic influenza demonstrates the continued need for pandemic planning in local communities," said, John T. Carlo, MD, MSE, medical director/health authority of the Dallas County Health and Human Services. "For local health officials in the United States, the task of preparing local communities is daunting," said Dr. Carlo.

A pandemic is different from an epidemic. Pandemics are larger and more widespread - the illness occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally large population. By contrast, epidemics are limited to one general area and affect a smaller segment of people.

Dr. Carlo reports communities are working to prepare for the day when human-to-human spread of avian flu virus occurs easily, including securing funding for technology, preparedness plans, health surveillance, and vaccines. Vaccine manufacturers are researching ways to get shots to every man, woman, and child in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first avian flu virus vaccine in April. The organization has begun to stockpile the vaccine.

Yet planning and preparing does not stop with the work hospitals and physicians' offices are doing, according to Dr. Carlo. He expresses fear that the general public will become complacent because no significant avian flu news has emerged recently. To combat this, he suggests private industry should educate employees and institute pandemic planning, and ordinary citizens must educate themselves and stockpile necessary items at home.

TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 42,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 120 component county medical societies around the state. TMA's key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.

http://www.texmed.org

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