SOUTH DAKOTA PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE PLAN Doneen B. Hollingsworth Secretary, South Dakota Department o

1. SOUTH DAKOTA PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE PLAN Doneen B. Hollingsworth Secretary, South Dakota Department of Health Tom DravlandSecretary, Department of Public Safety

2. Pandemic Influenza Challenges • Pandemic can be delayed, but not stopped • Healthcare system overload -shortage of staff & hospital beds -high death rates • Inadequate medical supplies -vaccine supply shortfall -antiviral shortfall • Economic & social disruption -worker absenteeism -closings, cancellations, quarantines

3. SD Pandemic Influenza Planning Assumptions • Half of those who become ill will seek medical care • Number of hospitalization & deaths will depend on virulence of pandemic virus

4. SD’s Pandemic Influenza Public Health Response Plan Follows National HHS Plan • Command & control • Laboratory & surveillance • Vaccine & antiviral medication • Healthcare planning • Disease containment & travel-related risk • Workforce support • Education & communication

5. State Roles & Responsibilities • Ensure that all reasonable measures are taken to limit spread within & beyond South Dakota’s borders • Comprehensive & credible preparedness & response plans that are exercised regularly • Integrate non-health entities: -law enforcement, utilities, city services, political leadership • Establish state/community-based vaccine & antiviral stockpiles & distribution systems • Provide public education campaigns

6. Command & Control • State Emergency Operations Center activation • Incident Command System • Legal authorities in place to support state response -quarantine -public health emergency -disease control & treatment -Governor’s authority in time of disaster

7. Laboratory & Surveillance • Early identification & isolation of cases needed to help slow spread of influenza in communities • 31 sentinel sites across SD submit flu specimens to state Public Health Laboratory for viral isolation and typing • State Public Health Laboratory capacity to test for H5 virus (current bird flu) • Bird surveillance underway (SDSU, GF&P, Animal Industry Board) for H5N1 bird flu currently circulating in world

8. Vaccines & Antiviral Medication • Enough vaccine will not be immediately available once pandemic flu virus identified • While federal government & state are pursuing stockpiles of antivirals, they are also expected to be in short supply • SD in line to purchase 25,000 courses of Tamiflu; additional purchases as dollars & antivirals become available • Priority groups for vaccine & antivirals identified using federal guidelines -in general, health care workers & high risk

9. Healthcare Planning • Pandemic infection control strategy same as seasonal • Hospitals installed/enhanced isolation rooms for infectious disease containment • Supply of portable ventilators stocked in each region • Training/planning for respiratory care of mass casualties • Hospitals, clinics, home health, long term care developing plans • Surge capacity identified to increase bed capacity • Coordinate plans on local, county & regional level

10. Disease Containment & Travel-Related Risk • Community planning critical to response – community level where control measures carried out • Vaccines & antivirals limited initially – other measures to slow spread, allow targeted use of medical interventions: -isolation of patients & monitoring contacts -community-based containment, social distance (closing schools or restricting public gatherings) -hand hygiene & cough etiquette (wash hands often, cover mouth when coughing or sneezing, stay home when sick) • Travel risk information - www.pandemicflu.gov/travel/

11. Workforce Support • Pandemic response poses substantial physical, personal, social, & emotional challenges to healthcare providers, public health staff, emergency responders & essential services workers • Providing psychosocial support services critical to sustaining services • Community mental health centers, mental health associations, school counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, university mental health professionals have role in planning for sustained care of workforce during prolonged response

12. Education & Communications • flu.sd.gov/pandemic - resource for providers, general public & media on pandemic influenza • Partner education (health provider presentations & publications) • Health Alert Network • Stop It – Don’t Spread It (flu prevention campaign) • Adapt CDC materials for use in SD • Public education campaign on pandemic influenza

13. Next Steps • Refine & exercise state plan • Support community planning effort • -states receiving federal dollars for pandemic planning • -SD using $500,000 for grants to communities for developing local pandemic response plans -funds awarded as early as July 1 for phase 1 • -additional federal planning funding expected -application details in today’s packets; will also be posted on flu.sd.gov/pandemic • Continued surveillance, enhanced awareness

14. What South Dakotans can do • Learn about pandemic influenza • Get your flu shot • Stop It – Don’t Spread It (good influenza prevention) -cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing -wash your hands often -stay home if you’re sick • Get healthy & stay healthy • Prepare for a “snow day” or “snow week” • Follow travel advisories • Work with civic & religious organizations to help your community plan & respond • Support local planning effort

15. National strategy for pandemic influenza “While your government will do much to prepare for a pandemic, individual action and individual responsibility are necessary for the success of any measures. Not only should you take action to protect yourself and your families, you should also take actions to prevent the spread of influenza if you or anyone in your family becomes ill.” President George Bush November 1, 2005