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WashCo training session for pandemic influenza set Washington County officials are encouraging all first responders and health entities to have representatives attend a training workshop set for Tuesday, Aug. 22, at the E-911 building near the Chatom Airport concerning the possible threat of pandemic influenza that may hit the area this year. The session is being coordinated by the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), which has taken on the role of increasing knowledge and awareness about pandemic influenza and the potential results of such an event. The goal is to make each county and community self-sufficient during a pandemic influenza outbreak, although such an event cannot be stopped from occurring. Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) have recently been warning of a worldwide outbreak of a new strain influenza or--pandemic influenza. The main threat presented by a new strain of the flu virus is that humans have little or no immunity to it. According to the experts, this new flu virus could spread from person to person and circle the globe in waves over extended periods of time, striking in many areas of the state at the same time causing emergency response resources to be severely limited. Recent outbreaks in Europe and Asia have been a major concern. Although this particular strain of influenza has not spread easily from person to person so far, that could change. So could the fact that no cases have, to date, been reported in the United States. It has been estimated that a pandemic influenza outbreak could cause between 200,000 to 2 million deaths nationwide, and between 12,975 to 148,500 in Alabama. Such an event would bring communities to a virtual halt for an extended period of time. The ADPH is working with federal, state and local government agencies in an effort to respond to such an outbreak and maintain essential health care and community services. Training sessions like this one and a recent one conducted in Clarke County are being conducted across the state to help those agencies prepare should this occur. Families are encouraged to prepare as well. The ADPH has released a list of things people can do in an effort to protect their family members: *Create a family plan. *Stockpile food, water and medications. *Limit the spread of germs. *Wash your hands. *Cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze. Use a tissue or if no tissue is available, use your upper sleeve. *Stay at home if you are sick.
To find out more about how to prepare visit www.pandemicflu. gov or www.adph.org or call your local health department.
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