Pandemic Influenza

Toppenish School District

Informational Presentation
Chicken Little and the Sky is Falling!!!!!
or
The Next Major Disaster?

Which is it?

When have we asked this before?

May 20, 1980
 Not if…..but WHEN
Influenza pandemics are inevitable

They recur at more-or-less cyclical intervals

 Definition

 Epidemic: An increase in disease

above what is normally expected
 Pandemic: A worldwide epidemic
 How Do Influenza Pandemics Arise?

 When avian influenza viruses experience sudden

changes in genetic structure
And

 Are capable of infecting humans

And

 Can reproduce and spread from person to person….a

pandemic occurs
 Excess US Deaths in
Previous Influenza Pandemics

 1918-19: Spanish 500,000 - 650,000

 Ten times as many Americans died of flu than died in WW I

 1957-58: Asian 70,000

 1968-69: Hong Kong 40,000

 Typical annual influenza season: 36,000

 Phases of a Pandemic
World Health Organization

Mitigation and Preparedness Response

Phase I Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6

Interpandemic Pandemic Alert Pandemic

Declared globally by the World Health Organization

Declared nationally by the Department of Health and Human Services
 Current Outbreak:
Avian Influenza (H5N1)
 Began in fall, 2003

 238 confirmed human cases; 139 deaths in

10 countries as of 8/14/06

 No efficient person-to-person transmission

 Isolated human disease

 Outbreak spreading in birds, not controlled

 Estimated National Impact

 Up to 200 million people infected

 40 - 90 million people clinically ill

 20 - 46 million (low range estimate only)

outpatient medical visits

 104,000 – 2,200,000 deaths

 Many geographic areas affected at the same time

 Pandemic Impact
Consequences will effect all organizations:
 Extreme staffing shortages (30%)
Impacts on Law Enforcement:
 25% - 35% of officers absent due to illness, death, caring for family
members
 911 dispatch centers operating with reduced staff, higher call volumes
 Large numbers of people unable to purchase food, pay bills – high
unemployment and schools closed
 Potential for civil unrest over weeks / months
 Hospitals may become high security areas
 No mutual aid available
Impacts on Transit / Transportation
 25% - 35% of drivers, maintenance crews, leadership absent due to illness,
death, caring for family members
 Mechanics unavailable to affect repairs
 Fuel deliveries reduced in frequency or erratic
 Contractors normally relied upon also impacted
 Assumptions
• Illness will spread quickly and globally

• No vaccine (or very limited) for first 6 to 8 months antivirals will

also be very limited

• Health care delivery system may be overwhelmed with significant

mortality and morbidity

• Two or three waves likely

• Extreme workplace staffing shortages (30%) due to illness, death,

or caring for family members
 Pandemic Planning Group
1. Develop a District Plan for a Pandemic Flu Event (60 days)
2. Roles of Each Member (Prevent,Prepare,Response,Recovery)
1. Incident Commander and Communications -Robert Shipek
2. Public Information Officer-John Cerna
3. Liaison Officer with Outside Agencies -Steve Myers
4. Health Service - Susan Vahlakis
5. Transportation - Dave Beltran
6. Food Services - Renee Miles
7. Buildings and Grounds and Custodial -Manuel Orozco
8. Logistics and Fiscal -Dave Andrews
9. Human Resources and Legal Issues -Jo-Ellen Thomas
10. Liaison with Building Principals - Matt Piper
11. Liaison with Certified Staff –Erinne Steinmetz
12. Liaison with building and district level secretarial staff -Nora Flores
13. Liaison with PSE Staff- Debbie Voorhees
 Prepare for difficult HR issues

 If offices are closed, will staff be paid?

 If staff are needed, can they refuse to
come to work?
 If required to report, what protective
equipment, if any, will be provided?
 Can employer force someone who may be ill NOT to
work? (Employees without sick leave may try to work
while ill.)
 Influenza Prevention
What Can We Do?
Specific Recommendations:
Infection Control in Schools :
Pandemic preparedness planning

Distribution of educational messages

and infection control guidance

Social distancing: people stay home when ill

Promotion of respiratory etiquette

 Provision of materials for respiratory hygiene/

etiquette: tissues and disposal receptacles
Respiratory Etiquette:
Not just being polite!
 Pandemic Preparedness
Responsibilities of Parents

 Store an extended supply of food and water at home

 Store nonprescription drugs and health supplies at home

 Plan with family members about the following:

• Caring for loved ones who get sick

• Caring for children if the schools are closed

• Other impacts on your life if you need to stay at home

for an extended period of time
 Pandemic Preparedness
Responsibilities of Group Leaders

3. Continuity of Operations Planning

 Identify key functions

 Cross train staff

 Identify telecommuting opportunities

 Review HR policies (sick leave, flex shifts)

 Identify ways to maintain payroll functions

 Make alcohol gel, disinfectant wipes available

 Who will help us?
 Little or no state and federal assistance
 Local government also limited in what it can
do to assist citizens
 Churches, neighbors, friends and families
would need to help each other
 Vulnerable groups would need extra
assistance
 Advance planning and stockpiling of
necessities could help.
 Key Steps for District Preparedness:
Mitigation

 Identify a district committee to provide support and guidance to

schools

 Review communicable disease policy and procedures

(communication, human resource management, prevention
messages, reporting)

 Develop pandemic flu plan including school closure plan

 Key Steps for District Preparedness: Action

 Review current public health, district and school pandemic

flu plans

 Continue staff, student and parent education

 Implement incident command protocol

Key Steps for District Preparedness: Response

 Track and report absenteeism

 Ensure information is translated

 Activate incident command management

System
 Document actions taken
 Conduct debriefings
 Incident Command System
 Mitigation and Prevention

 Preparedness

 Response

 Recovery
How Ready Are We?

Used with permission of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"Every day a pandemic
doesn't happen
is another day
we have to prepare.”

--Michael Osterholm