H1N1…How to Protect Your Faith Community from Influenza

H1N1…How to Protect Your Faith Community from Influenza Manitoba Interfaith Council & Winnipeg Regional Health Authority September 17, 2009

Agenda 12 noon • Karen Cyr, Coordinator, Community Disaster Management, WRHA • Introductions, planning underway in faith communities, areas of concern 12:10 pm • Horst Backé, Team Manager, Population & Public Health, WRHA • H1N1 presentation • Question and Answer Session 1:00 pm • Don Timmerman, Director, Disaster Services, Salvation Army • Role of faith communities in disaster response • Potential role in H1N1 response

What is Influenza? • Potentially severe respiratory illness caused by flu virus • Spreads easily from person to person through coughing and sneezing within 1-2 metres • Can spread by touching contaminated hands to mouth, nose or eyes • Hands can pick up virus from contaminated surfaces and objects (e.g., tables, door knobs, computers)

Is it flu? (H1N1) Almost always… • Fever • Cough Commonly… • Sore throat • Muscle aches • Joint pain • Headaches • Fatigue • Sometimes… • Nausea • Vomiting • Diarrhea

Seek Care if You Have Flu and Risk Factors • Under 5 years • Chronic heart, lung, kidney or liver disease needing regular medical care • Asthma • Illnesses like diabetes or cancer or an illness or medication that lowers the immune system • Pregnancy • Aboriginal ancestry • Obesity • Smoking or alcohol/substance use • Over 65 years

Go to Emergency Department • Shortness of breath at rest or when doing very little • Rapid or difficult breathing • Extreme pain or pressure in the chest or stomach • Vomiting that is severe or does not stop • Confusion • Seizures.

Is H1N1 a Pandemic? • World Health Organization declared H1N1 a pandemic • Most people with H1N1 have not needed hospitalization • Flu viruses change over time. They are difficult to predict. • Health officials are monitoring the situation. • Plans for pandemic and emergency responses are ready. PREVENTION is key!

Prevent Flu Wash hands frequently (or use a hand sanitizer) Cover your cough or sneeze into sleeve or tissue Separate sick from well people. Stay home if you are sick Immunization

Hand Washing The single most effective way to stop the spread of germs! • After wiping, blowing or touching your nose • After coughing or sneezing into your hands. It is better to cough or sneeze into your sleeve or tissue. • Before preparing or eating food • After using the toilet

Hand Washing • Wet hands with water • Add soap and rub hands together for 20 seconds to create a good lather (the time it takes to sing the A,B,C’s) • Scrub all over both sides of hands, between fingers, and under fingernails • Children may need help to wash their hands • Rinse hands

Hand Sanitizers • Alternative to hand washing if hands not visibly soiled • Alcohol (at least 60%) hand sanitizers • Hand sanitizers with benzalkonium chloride or benzethonium chloride can also be used • If using alcohol rubs, hands should be completely dry before touching anything, especially hand-to-mouth contact • Do not ingest

Cough Etiquette • Cover cough or sneeze into elbow, sleeve or tissue • Discard tissues in waste baskets and wash hands afterwards • If no tissues are available, cough into elbow or upper sleeve

If You Have Flu-Like Illness • Stay home, even if you do not feel very sick • Stay home until completely better

Environmental Cleaning • Flu viruses can live on surfaces for several hours to days • No special disinfectants or waste handling practices are required. Regular cleaning products and waste handing are acceptable. • Ensure regular cleaning of high-touch surfaces (e.g., faucets, door knobs, counter tops)

What You Can Do To Prevent Flu In Your Faith Community • All sinks in washrooms, kitchens and eating areas should be well stocked with hand washing supplies at all times (e.g., soap, paper towels, hand dryers). • Consider making hand sanitizers available, especially where food is prepared or eaten • Encourage members who have flu-like illness to stay home until better • Ask staff with flu-like illness to stay home (except to seek medical care) until they are feeling better • Fact Sheets: • Environmental Cleaning and the Influenza Virus • How You Can Reduce Spread of Influenza

Changes to Worship & Other Services In a Serious Pandemic • If you are blessing (e.g., the laying on of hands) or anointing someone (e.g., with oil) who has ‘flu’, hands should be washed immediately afterwards • Sharing common vessels for food and drink should temporarily cease • Situations where a faith leader may cross-contaminate others should temporarily cease • Consider canceling or modifying worship and other basic services to prevent the spread of infection. • Look for new ways to communicate • Identify ways to provide the experience of communal worship remotely

Plan for Staff to Be Away • A flu pandemic may result in absenteeism within all organizations. Expect between 15-35% of your staff to be away due to influenza. • Have succession plans • Clarify in advance who will function in key roles if leaders are affected by illness and become unavailable • Identify persons in the congregation who are prepared and able to help offer services • Cross-train staff and volunteers to help ensure essential work continues • Plan for job flexibility

Plan for Increased Demands • Plan for increased demand for specific services • Faith leaders may face increased calls to visit ill people • Consider expanding volunteer base of pastoral care providers • In a worst-case scenario with a more virulent flu, there may be a need to support dying and bereaved persons • Plan with other local stakeholders for higher than usual levels of funeral services • Plans should take into account that people including workers and ministers may be bereaved

Plan to Serve the Community During Crisis • Faith leaders and communities are a critical resource and may be called upon to help serve the community during a pandemic. • Some areas where faith communities can provide support: • Help to reach vulnerable persons that others are not reaching • Promote health care and prevention messages of health authorities • Care for ill members of your community through volunteer • Volunteers could help monitor those who are ill • Organize community members to be Flu Friends • Faith leaders can help to explain the rationale for recommendations made by the health system in response to the flu

Helping Staff and Members of Faith Communities Cope • Keep things in perspective • Stay informed • Maintain your normalroutine • Take care of yourself • Stay connected Children may have unique needs

For More Information • Health Links at 788-8200 • Local public health nurse

Resources Fact Sheets • How to Protect Your Faith Community from Influenza • Environmental Cleaning and the Influenza Virus • How You Can Reduce Spread of Influenza • Coping with H1N1 Flu • Information about H1N1 Flu for Children and Youth Posters • Cover your cough • Hand washing

Questions?

Role of Faith Communities in H1N1 Response • Don Timmerman, Director, Disaster Services, Salvation Army

H1N1…How to Protect Your Faith Community from Influenza