Pandemic Influenza Preparedness in Fairfax County

1. Pandemic Influenza Preparedness in Fairfax County Gloria Addo-Ayensu, MD, MPH Director of Health, Fairfax County November 17, 2006

3. History of Influenza Pandemics • Three influenza pandemics in the 20th century • 1918 (H1N1) – 40 million deaths • 1957 (H2N2) – 2 million deaths • 1968 (H3N2) – 700,000 deaths • Differed in type of virus, impact and populations most affected

4. Pandemic Flu Today Despite . . . • Expanded global and national surveillance • Better healthcare, medicines, diagnostics • Greater vaccine manufacturing capacity New risks: • Increased global travel and commerce • Greater population density • More elderly and immunosuppressed • More daycare and nursing homes

5. What to expect during a pandemic • 2 or 3 waves of disease outbreak over period of a year or more; outbreak in a community lasting about 2 – 3 months • Possibly as many as 35% of the population affected, with large numbers of deaths • Enormous demands on the health care system • Delays and shortages in available vaccines and antiviral drugs • Possible disruptions in usual services • Simultaneous outbreaks throughout the country

6. Why plan now? • Being proactive to ensure adequate measures are taken in advance will lessen the potential impact • Preparedness will strengthen the capacity to respond to seasonal flu epidemics and other infectious disease threats • “Any community that fails to prepare, with the expectation that the federal government will come to the rescue will be tragically wrong.” HHS Secretary Michael O. Leavitt, April 10, 2006

7. Pandemic Influenza Preparedness • Occurring at all levels • Global, Federal, State, Regional, County • Fairfax County • All Hazards Approach to emergency preparedness • Planning activities began in Fall 2005 • Involves ALL county agencies, surrounding cities, private sector groups and partner organizations • Deputy County Executives for Human Services & Public Safety leading planning efforts • Public Health • Critical Infrastructure and Resource Mgt.

8. Public Health • Multi-disciplinary workgroups • Laboratory and Surveillance • Communication and notifications • Vaccine and antiviral distribution • Community disease control and prevention • Legal • Essential needs • First Responders • Surge capacity* • Mass Fatality Management*

9. Critical Infrastructure and Resource Management • Strategies to lessen impact on critical services • Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) • Provision of critical services • Policies to protect the workforce • HR, Risk Management, • Increase capacity for telecommuting • Workforce communications and public messaging • Private sector planning

10. Fairfax County’s Pandemic Flu Planning Structure

11. Fairfax County Pandemic Influenza Response Plan • Available on County website • www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency/pandemicflu • Describes the coordinated local strategy to prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic • Supplements state and federal pandemic influenza response plans • Health Department plays a critical role in overall response activities

12. Goal of Fairfax County Response Plan • Contain and control disease outbreak • Limit the number of illnesses and deaths • Preserve continuity of essential government functions • Minimize social disruptions • Minimize economic loss

13. Unprepared Impact Weeks Impact of Planning Prepared Adapted from HHS

14. County Pandemic Preparedness Strategies • Develop or enhance disease surveillance programs • Ensure mass vaccination plans are in place and ready to be implemented • Establish guidelines for using antiviral medications • Develop methods to implement non-medical measures to decrease the spread of illness • Educate public and partners on the consequences of pandemic flu and how to prepare • Assist partners with pandemic preparedness planning aimed at maintaining health care and other essential services

15. Pandemic Influenza Community Outreach • Public education on pandemic preparedness with special outreach to ethnic community, elderly and hard to reach populations • Self care guide to be distributed to all households • Hand washing and Cover Your Cough campaign • Physician education and N-95 fit testing program • Summits and presentations

16. Engaging Business and Community Partners • Town hall meeting: April 18, 2006 • Business summit: May 26, 2006 • Physician summit: August 10,2006* • Child-care summit: August 21, 2006* • Long-term care facilities: Nov. 29, 2006 • Human Services partners summit: December 1, 2006 • Future Summits in planning phase: • Small businesses, Ethnic communities, Faith community, Home Owners Associations

17. Fairfax County’s Hand Washing Campaign “Your Health is in Your Hands: WASH”

18. Are you prepared? • Do you have a home disaster preparedness plan? • Do you get a flu shot each year? • Are you staying informed? • What are you doing to stop germs from spreading? • Cover coughs and sneezes • Frequent and proper hand washing • Stay home when sick • Remember to check the CDC website for travel advisories if you plan to travel.

19. Thank You

20. Resources • www.pandemicflu.gov • Fairfax County Hand washing Sign • English: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/hdpdf/washhands2005.pdf • Spanish: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/hdpdf/lavesemanos.pdf • Fairfax County Flu Season Sign • http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/hdpdf/fluseason2005.pdf