# 1226
With a forward by David Heymann, Deputy Director-General
World Health Organization, and input from Dr. Grattan Woodson on the home treatment of Influenza, this guide is an excellent introduction to pandemic preparedness.
Entitled Pandemic Influenza Preparation and Response:A Citizen’s Guide, this 60 page PDF file should be on everyone's desktop, and referenced often. This is version 1.5 of the document, and is current as of November 2006.
This download is being hosted by the Flu Wiki. The guide itself is a product of the Mid-Peninsula (San Francisco Bay area) Citizens Preparedness Committee
The following is a sample from this guide. As you can see, it doesn't sugar coat things.
The Impact of a Pandemic
Overview
• Communities will be affected simultaneously.• At least 30% of the overall population will
become infected.• Absenteeism is expected to be upwards of 50%.
• A pandemic is likely to last for 12 to 18 months.
• Communities could be affected by several waves
lasting 6 to 8 weeks each.• Vaccines and antiviral drugs for pandemic
influenza will be in short supply, may be of limited
effectiveness, and are not likely to be available to
most communities.• Most of the ill will seek medical care.
• All healthcare systems will be overwhelmed.
• Health facilities are unlikely to be available to
most, and may be inadvisable to enter owing to
increased chances of exposure to the virus.• People and communities will likely be on their
own without the help of mutual aid from other
communities, hospitals, or other public services.• Those who take steps to prepare ahead of time
will be much more resilient as pandemic influenza
spreads .
Individual preparedness will save lives.
This is the message that the HHS, flu bloggers, Readymom.org, and countless others (including the authors of this guide) are trying to convey to the public.
This guide should go a long way towards convincing people of the need to prepare, and it shows them how to begin. It also contains vital information you will need to know in order to treat family members who may contract pandemic flu.
Highly recommended.
