Readiness key to survival

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   The Pueblo Chieftain Online

Health officials estimate that a full-blown flu pandemic could result in as 

many as 45,000 cases in Pueblo County.

THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

Personal preparedness will be a big part of surviving a possible flu 

pandemic, Dr. Chris Nevin-Woods of the City-County Health Department 

told a group of community representatives at a breakfast meeting Friday.

The health department has been planning for a pandemic for several 

months, in meetings with other government agencies and medical 

providers. There will be a tabletop exercise in coming months, and the 

department plans a mass flu vaccine clinic to provide shots to 10,000 

people on Dec. 2.

Although there isn't a vaccine yet for the avian flu that is considered the 

most likely candidate to become a pandemic, Nevin-Woods said ordinary 

flu shots may confer some protection against the bird flu. In the Spanish 

flu pandemic of 1918-19, she noted, more young people died than older 

people, and scientists speculate that the reason might be that older 

people had survived more unrelated infections and developed more 

immunities.

If a pandemic comes to Pueblo, she said, people ideally should be 

prepared to stay in their own homes for two to three weeks. Public health 

officials might have to close schools and public gathering places, and that 

could include the mall and even grocery stores.

"So you would think you'd need food, but you also need to think about 

having enough dog food, toilet paper, things for the family to do if they 

can't leave the house, and preparation to take care of yourself if you get 

sick or hurt," she said.

"How many of us would know what to do if your child fell and broke his 

arm? Could you splint it if you couldn't get to the doctor for two or three 

days?"

The health department has a grant to make a video to help with individual 

and community preparedness, and it will be shared with other health 

departments across the state, she said.

She also hopes to organize a medical reserve corps of trained volunteers 

who could help with disease prevention efforts as well as response to 

medical emergencies.

Other planning groups will be set up to think through issues in new ways.

"The hardest part of the mindset changes we need is how to deal with 

everything ourselves, in our own community," Nevin-Woods said. "There 

would be some tough decisions, for example, when we can't send the 

sickest children to Denver like we do now - if you have 70 children who 

need to be on respirators and there are only four or five in town."

The federal department of Health and Human Services is setting up state 

summits on pandemic planning, and the Colorado summit will be March 

24 in Denver.

To this point, there is no federal planning money, but Nevin-Woods said 

she understands there will be at least some federal funding.

Following the course of bird flu across Asia and into Europe, Nevin-

Woods said it now appears infected birds might reach Alaska in April or 

May and the continental United States in the fall.

"We need to let people know that you're not likely to be exposed unless 

you're actually handling birds, slaughtering them and being exposed to 

the blood," she said. There is no evidence yet that the virus has mutated 

to the point that it can easily spread from human to human. That would 

be the critical point signaling a pandemic.

If a pandemic does strike, Nevin-Woods said, "The assumption is that 30 

percent of the population would become ill. That would be 45,000 people 

in Pueblo County, and it could mean 22,000 clinic visits, 4,500 hospital 

admissions including 720 intensive-care cases and 360 people needing 

ventilators - and 960 deaths."

 http://www.chieftain.com/print.php?article=/metro/1142190495 /5

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Readiness key to survival Posted: March 12 2006 at 11:25pm
	The Pueblo Chieftain Online Health officials estimate that a full-blown flu pandemic could result in as many as 45,000 cases in Pueblo County. THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN Personal preparedness will be a big part of surviving a possible flu pandemic, Dr. Chris Nevin-Woods of the City-County Health Department told a group of community representatives at a breakfast meeting Friday. The health department has been planning for a pandemic for several months, in meetings with other government agencies and medical providers. There will be a tabletop exercise in coming months, and the department plans a mass flu vaccine clinic to provide shots to 10,000 people on Dec. 2. Although there isn't a vaccine yet for the avian flu that is considered the most likely candidate to become a pandemic, Nevin-Woods said ordinary flu shots may confer some protection against the bird flu. In the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-19, she noted, more young people died than older people, and scientists speculate that the reason might be that older people had survived more unrelated infections and developed more immunities. If a pandemic comes to Pueblo, she said, people ideally should be prepared to stay in their own homes for two to three weeks. Public health officials might have to close schools and public gathering places, and that could include the mall and even grocery stores. "So you would think you'd need food, but you also need to think about having enough dog food, toilet paper, things for the family to do if they can't leave the house, and preparation to take care of yourself if you get sick or hurt," she said. "How many of us would know what to do if your child fell and broke his arm? Could you splint it if you couldn't get to the doctor for two or three days?" The health department has a grant to make a video to help with individual and community preparedness, and it will be shared with other health departments across the state, she said. She also hopes to organize a medical reserve corps of trained volunteers who could help with disease prevention efforts as well as response to medical emergencies. Other planning groups will be set up to think through issues in new ways. "The hardest part of the mindset changes we need is how to deal with everything ourselves, in our own community," Nevin-Woods said. "There would be some tough decisions, for example, when we can't send the sickest children to Denver like we do now - if you have 70 children who need to be on respirators and there are only four or five in town." The federal department of Health and Human Services is setting up state summits on pandemic planning, and the Colorado summit will be March 24 in Denver. To this point, there is no federal planning money, but Nevin-Woods said she understands there will be at least some federal funding. Following the course of bird flu across Asia and into Europe, Nevin- Woods said it now appears infected birds might reach Alaska in April or May and the continental United States in the fall. "We need to let people know that you're not likely to be exposed unless you're actually handling birds, slaughtering them and being exposed to the blood," she said. There is no evidence yet that the virus has mutated to the point that it can easily spread from human to human. That would be the critical point signaling a pandemic. If a pandemic does strike, Nevin-Woods said, "The assumption is that 30 percent of the population would become ill. That would be 45,000 people in Pueblo County, and it could mean 22,000 clinic visits, 4,500 hospital admissions including 720 intensive-care cases and 360 people needing ventilators - and 960 deaths." http://www.chieftain.com/print.php?article=/metro/1142190495 /5

Devamitra Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Valued Member Joined: March 12 2006 Status: Offline Points: 8	Post Options Post Reply Quote Devamitra Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: March 13 2006 at 2:40am
	The hardest part of the mindset changes we need is how to deal with everything ourselves, in our own community Namaste, This seems to be the key-note of the article. Modern day society has become very dependent of the "system" in many ways compared to what it was back in the 1800s. Self-sufficiency has not, however, completely disappeared from the minds of most rural people and therefore, there is some light of hope no matter how difficult it will be to survive for those who simply aren't ready. Thank you for posting this article, Rick. :) Thy Own Self, Devamitra
	Sarvesham shantira bhavantu Sarvesham purnam bhavantu Lokah samastha sukhino bhavantu Om shanti shanti shanti!