Making it HappenMaking it happen. Now, there’s a concept we can agree on. So, let me give a hat tip to the two previous posts from Mike Coston (Breaking The Barriers) and Admiral John Agwunobi (Ideas Are Welcome). Mike talks about the need to tackle the pandemic severity threat head on, while Dr. Agwunobi shows a notable willingness to listen and learn (and for the sake of this discussion, let’s assume that’s official HHS policy). Combining those things would, indeed, be a “best practice” way to make it happen. There are HHS tool kits in development, a focus of the DC summit. We’ve not seen them, and the plan is for deliverables this summer and roll-out in fall (see Stephanie Marshall’s presentation): Overall HHS Communications Objectives:
I like the “many voices, one message” approach because it will take those many voices to reach everyone, and starting to reach out should not wait until summer or fall. HHS can surely help with the toolkits that are envisioned. But tools exist right now that can help further the message. For example, a group of concerned experts have put together a downloadable .pdf entitled Influenza Pandemic Preparation and Response - A Citizen’s Guide. With a superb foreword by David Heymann (WHO), this guide is free for the taking and would make a great handout at small meetings, or an email link to send, or as an authoritative source of pandemic information in any setting (more details here):
In addition to toolkits from American Red Cross, Santa Barbara has put together an automated slide show (with narration), which could be used in a local presentation by anyone, and Larimar County CO also has an excellent teaching slide show called Pandemics Happen. Folks online have for some time been trading presentations like this to help ourselves teach our communities. Want more slides? You can build a nice compliment to Secretary Leavitt’s 50 state historical round-up by using some of the quotes from this blog:
Are there people willing to go out and do this, to actually go back to their communities and discuss panflu prep? Are there people willing to support HHS and CDC? Sure there are. But it can’t happen without the federal government validating the pandemic threat and the need for preparations (HHS has already validated us, now we need to validate the threat of H5N1 and other flu viruses, as David Heymann does above). No one wants to go out there and have a local health official refuse to attend, or attend and downplay the risk of H5N1 or the need to prepare (and that is an all-too-often occurrence right now, as the online folks can attest to - please hear that, HHS). Public health folk need to consider the public as a full partner; only then can Stephanie’s articulated HHS Communications Objectives goals be met. HHS needs to help us so that we can help HHS by fostering resilient communities, with the authorities backing us up. That’s how we can make it happen, and that’s how we can best prepare for whatever comes. See also The Stuff Solutions Are Made Of.
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See also Mike Costan’s The Stuff Solutions Are Made Of.
Posted June 22nd, 2007 at 8:44 amI just noticed this blog into in Advance magazine. I’m thrilled to see there has been online comments regarding the possibility of pandemic flu. I have been following H1N1 in particular for a few years. I became “hooked” as a Flu fan because of stories about the 1918 strain that my grandmother told me when i was a child.
Posted June 22nd, 2007 at 9:07 amMy grandmother was born in 1918 and remembers what happened. Anyway, i have been actively trying to get friends,family and coworkers to take this issue seriously with only few successes. Presently, i am trying to gather opinions about what would be needed for my laboratory to “be prepared” in offering services for continued patient care if a pandemic would occur. We have a government grant to use to buy certain items that would be needed. I’ve gleaned some thoughts from the New Orleans experience, however, that is not the same thing. Any thoughts of WHAT items would be best to invest in over the laong haul.
Any thoughts???
“But it can’t happen without the federal government validating the pandemic threat and the need for preparations…”
Posted June 22nd, 2007 at 9:52 amAside from the raw scientific data of viral transmission rates, etc, that one sentence is the key to this entire discussion, on this blog and on every other. Until we have the federal government posting the issue on buses and subways, putting simple preparation lists in the newspaper on a daily basis, and telling its citizens that “The Big One” is likely to arrive, then all of this is pointless. There is no current information aimed at the public–WHERE THE PUBLIC MEETS. People don’t go to Red Cross, FEMA, or DHHS websites. They read their local papers, ride their local public transportation, and read “People” magazine. Discussion of AI should become so routine between the government and the majority of its citizens that people routinely choose to calmly take appropriate measures. I frankly believe that the government is openly REFUSING to disclose the real risk of AI to its citizens, by pussy-footing around with its government website-only brochures. If the feds truly believe in the pandemic risk, then start mailing all of us monthly or weekly brochures with simple inexpensive preparation lists, to every home in the U.S. Trust us–we can handle it. Start with the need for water–if people “panic” and buy millions of gallons of bottles water, wouldn’t you rather have it happen now, while people are still healthy?
After Katrina, we went to Gulfport, Mississippi to help. Every adult in Gulfport has reason to believe that they could get hit with a big hurricane every year, yet most people there don’t make preparations. The people told us, “After the hurricane, we were SO thirsty, because the local water system went down. We were so glad that the water trucks came.” What would have been the effect if the leaders of Gulfport had previously demanded that the citizens simply save fifty 2-liter soda bottles per person, wash them, fill them with water, and add a few drops of bleach? Think of the time that one simple action would have bought. And those people live in one of the most hurricane-prone areas of the world!
This blog will be an effective tool in preparing the U.S. –and much of the rest of the world–if the government would ignore its fear of panicking its citizens and just openly tell them that the risk is real and high. There will be many that will ignore the risk, but enough of the public will prepare to make a real difference. The towns which were untouched by the flu of 1918 were untouched because the community leaders understood the risk of viral transmission, took it seriously, prepared quickly, and demanded action of its citizens. Give the public the opportunity to do it again.
Additionally, despite the frequent statements by others that we are hated, the U.S. is still the one country where people flock to enter our gates. If the U.S. government will openly state the risks, then other nations will follow. Every country has soda bottles and the local equivalent of rice and beans.
For heaven’s sake, Feds, get moving NOW. Get the real message out, NOW. I am a former public health nurse.Thank you for your time.
Carol Houde MT(ASCP) (Post#2)
One thoughts - what you need is based on what you could loose and how valuable it is.
People. What happens now when schools close for a teacher work day or something? Is there a rush for day care? Pandemic may close schools for weeks with little daycare available due to social distancing. This would be school closures on a massive scale for days, weeks or months.
Deliveries - What happens when supplies are delayed a few days?
Power? Do you keep flash lights in the office? If the power goes out do you have to reset computers and equipment or is there a UPS system so power fluctuations are not a problem? If there is a generator (a genny) is all your equipment on the generator? PC, test equipment, Air conditioner heater and refrigerators, elevators?
Important question: how do you know it and does it work? The military and many good sties test run their genny for 30 min once a week.
Last genny question - how much fuel? How long will the genny run before it needs to be refueled? 1 day, 3 days? Yes some run on Natural gas.
People - Are they prepared at home so they can leave home and feel safe at work. IMHO, people working in a lab while their mind is at home is dangerous.
Can you function with 40% absenteeism? If so at what level?
Can you function with masks and gloves?
I assume you are not a public testing lab and do not intereact with the public.
Lastly - do you need maintenance people or a cleaning crew?
What would happen if the trash was not picked up for a week or a month? Would fumes or bio-hazard be a problem?
During a power outage, will you have a working freezer so people will want to come to work just so they can store their food?
Security? Will the locks and security work during a power outage? This includes fire monitoring.
IT. Who takes care of your computers and LAN? Who is there backup? Who is the vendor’s backup?
Lastly - Do you have just one connection to the internet or a backup as well?
Each site is different so what you should invest in depends on what you will loose multiplied by how costly that loss is.
People are the most critical. FEMA makes point of recanting stories of “Alpha personnel” who said “I quit” when things got too bad or unsafe. You can get another job, you can not get another family.
Please let me know if this was or was not helpful.
Regards,
Posted June 22nd, 2007 at 10:00 amKobie
“So much worth fighting for
Some things worth dying for
So little worth killing over” Pat Benatar - “Too Long a soldier”
Please define toolkit.
Please define HOW? HHS plans to take ACTION to meet their objectives.
It is a very pretty list—but what ACTION is being taken right now?
Overall HHS Communications Objectives:
* Raise awareness of avian and pandemic influenza and the impact a pandemic could have on human health
* Support states and local community plans, prepare for and respond to a pandemic
* Educate key stakeholders and the public about the role they play in preparing for a pandemic and the necessary steps.
* Create a foundation of pandemic awareness and knowledge to support future response and recovery efforts
* Instill and maintain public confidence in the nation’s public health system and its ability to respond to a pandemic influenza outbreak
* Speak with one voice, as a global citizen and as a nation
I have seen a lot of these types of lists. They all start with action verbs—and then there is very little action.
The bottom line is:
There are unpaid public citizens ready and waiting to help distribute a pandemic preparedness message. We are tired of spinning our wheels, running in place, and we are running out of time.
Skip the toolkits.
Carefully choose a non-HHS spokesperson with a well known name, with character and integrity (this will be tough)—and get the pandemic risk communicated via TV and the wire services now. (Please do not use the word czar. Not many people will listen to anyone called a czar.)
Get the 6000 strong and elite— Public Health Commissioned Corps —headed by Admiral Agwunobi—to make public preparedness a priority.
Their mission statement says:
The mission of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps is to protect, promote, and advance the health and safety of our Nation. As America’s uniformed service of public health professionals, the Commissioned Corps achieves its mission through:
* Rapid and effective response to public health needs
* Leadership and excellence in public health practices
* Advancement of public health science
commcorps.shs.net/Ab…
Future communications need to be honest and true.
The Red Cross has been told their function in a pandemic will be to deliver food. Where are their toolkits and call to action? The Red Cross has been told to sit on their hands until they get the bad news.
Why aren’t they preparing people to care for the sick in their homes?
Why isn’t a home care video being made by the Red Cross?
This blog was not a blog. I don’t know what your intent was—but it did not accomplish much, except perhaps irrevocably eroding trust in HHS and others.
Like someone said—we didn’t just fall off the turnip truck!
You cannot possibly all be as misinformed as you appeared to be—-
So, please come clean—-and tell us what this was all about.
This blog has made people lose hope.
This blog has induced despair and doubt.
Posted June 22nd, 2007 at 2:49 pmPeter (#5)
Told by whom? Was this a state or national edict - directed to national or state Red Cross? The American Red Cross has actually already produced some excellent materials available at its website: www.redcross.org/new… I would like to see more emphasis on this in their presentations, but they are moving forward at least in some areas.
Huge issue. Barely acknowledged and so-far poorly addressed. I don’t know if this is something the Red Cross should do, but I absolutely agree that it must be completed and rolled out sooner rather than (JIT) later. Neither the skills nor supplies will be able to be picked up by the public if we wait till the bug is dancing its way across the oceans (or across state borders if it starts in the US like the 1918 pandemic did.)
The need is mentioned, but only in passing in most plans and documents. We have been calling for this kind of thing for some time - but have had little product so far. www.newfluwiki2.com/…
I don’t agree entirely with your assessment of the conference or the blog, but I do share the sense of frustration and urgency reflected in your comment.
I would urge you and others to not let the shortcomings of one or another effort (either public or private) induce either doubt or despair.
This challenge will require more of us than that. This does not mean we lower our standards or expectations, but it does mean we can’t let anything stop us from doing what is necessary to protect our families and our communities.
Posted June 22nd, 2007 at 6:36 pmPeter:
I agree, after the Drug War and Katrina, a Czar has as much chance of success as Nicholas II. I mentioned past Surgeon General’s and their legacies in a previous post. Koop, Elders and Carmona. None treated harshly in history, (other than people making fun of Koop’s ties), but all with unpopular messages. Though a few messages were related to ways we could improve the world we live in, (for argument’s sake), most of the time, they ranted about our bad behaviors and the health issues they caused. Smoking, Overeating, Sex.
I would prefer the Highest ranking healthcare official in the country ready to point and shoot where necessary and not some spokesperson wearing a sweater asking if “we can talk”. Start off with the gloves off.
I’m not sure exactly what role the USPHS will play, but you would assume it would be on the front lines. The front lines of communication, training, deployment and actual care. They don’t wear the fatigues as a fashion statement and they were very active in Katrina. The Corps has a long and rich heritage. I’m not sure they are presently equipped to be the point on this.
In the case of H5N1 or a 1918 equivalent, we are talking of a primary respiratory illness. Since a major part of that response would be treatment of respiratory illness, (ARDS, mechanical ventilation), respiratory therapists, will certainly be involved. Currently, the USPHS has no respiratory therapists in their ranks. I do not see where they would have the knowledge or expertise to provide all the necessary aspects of planning, communicating, training and caring for this type of event.
Posted June 22nd, 2007 at 8:08 pmBottom line: Think like Nike: “Just Do It”.
Just do it: Put the matter in front of the American people, in places where they run across the issue every day. Put it on buses and subway trains and billboards and brochures and into their mailboxes and on their T.V. sets.
Just do it: Give the people information on appropriate foods, medications, etc. to store for the real length of time needed–several waves of three-four months each.
Just do it: Find a well-known and respected public figure (think the current equivalent of James Stewart) and get that person before the American public, in all of the places listed above, with the real truth about the flu.
Just do it: The best way to avoid getting the flu is to avoid exposure. Send the American people accurate information about staying at home: teach them how to do it, and why. Doing so will ensure that there are many unaffected communities across the U.S., as happened in 1918.
Just do it: Give American citizens the “prep of the week” so that they won’t panic. FDR had his weekly fireside chats, and the spokesperson for AI information can do the same.
Just do it: Recognize that the only stumbling block between the feds and enactment of the excellent suggestions on this blog is obvious governmental fear. Well-trained emergency personnel face incredible dangers head-on and survive with their patients, but only because of their training. Train the American people so that each of them can be part of the solution, and not just another victim needing help. Every educated and prepared citizen is one less victim needing assistance.
Just do it: Now that you’ve had several more weeks to (sigh) “gather more data” from the incredible people who have posted on this blog for the last few weeks, do something with it. In cruder terms, “Either pee or get off the pot.” If you’re not going anywhere with this, then tell us, so that the people here will know to keep doing the job themselves, without public, obvious, official backing to give support to what they do, and having to convince each member of the public one by one. The federal government and an appropriate spokesperson can accomplish in one evening what the sharp minds represented on this blog have tried to get across for a long time. As a private citizen, and after having watched the government’s official line for the last 18 months, it appears that AI is only slightly risky, and that the risk increases mildly if one raises backyard chickens. Is that the message you want to give the American people?
Thank you very much for putting this blog in place, and for reading the contents.
JUST DO IT!!!!!
Posted June 23rd, 2007 at 8:25 amMotto: Better Prepared Than Scared!
Thanks for providing all of the references, Greg, and thanks, too, to the public commenters for their inspiration, perspiration and perseverication!
Posted June 23rd, 2007 at 2:25 pmN=1,
Thank you as well.
“Work the numbers”
Annie R.N.,
The “Pandemic Primer for Govenors and State officials” is an eye opener for many. It is official, and has the air of “secret knowledge the government does not want you do know.”
I have walked into a couple of churches during the week and dropped one off with the receptionist. Said “I know you work with scouts. You support others, I support you.” Then just left.
Sending copies to the radio station and the city TV station produced nothing. My pharmasist still seems kinda unsure about the CDC and HHS stuff. I think it is that “If it was important we would have heard about it by now.”
Best wishes to all.
Regards,
Posted June 23rd, 2007 at 4:31 pmKobie
Kobie—Can you please provide a link for:
“Pandemic Primer for Governors and State officials”
Thank you.
Posted June 24th, 2007 at 8:01 amThis is a replacement comment with better formatting:
NGA Releases Pandemic Primer for Governors and State Officials
The National Governors Association (NGA) has released “Preparing for A Pandemic Influenza: A Primer for Governors and Senior State Officials.” Developed by NGA’s Center for Best Practices, the primer stresses the need to develop strategies to ensure that essential government and private sector services remain available during pandemics. It also calls for comprehensive planning involving government agencies, businesses, and individuals. A copy of the primer is available at
www.nga.org/Files/pd…
Posted June 24th, 2007 at 12:35 pmThank you Dr. Dworkin for the link so Peter (Post#11) and others have it.
Posted June 24th, 2007 at 1:38 pmTag team flubogia? or part of how we make it happen. :o)
Hopefully if we prepare the hospitals will not be so overrun and we will have enough alternative sites to comfort and cure all those current medicin and forthought can.
It is do-able.
Regards,
Kobie
“Captian Quigg failed, not because he was not tough or could not do the job but because he was not supported. He was made fun of and called old yellow stain. For years while you all played he stood guard. Then when things got tuff you did not like what he said. You don’t follow a captian because you like the way they dress or part their hair. You follow them because they know what they are doing and you are better off with them. ” - next to final sceane of “The Caine Mutany”
Prep to survive on one’s own or community planning to limit the rate of infection — which is more important?
Both, we would probably all agree, but I feel that citizen participation in community planning is often given short shrift by cities, counties, school districts, and states. I decided to investigate the state of planning in the Eugene-Springfield area of Oregon.
Ready or not…
Lane County Public Health officials were “stunned” recently when a contagious man with measles went out on the town after he said he would stay put in his apartment.
County officials said they “had no reason” to think a young man might not curtail his active social life. They “take people at their word.”
But what if the infection next time is an epidemic of bird flu that sweeps around the world - a pandemic?
Last September, Lane County held a Pandemic Illness Summit attended by 125 community leaders. In November, a statewide planning exercise took place - PandOrA (Pandemic Oregon Activity). www.oregon.gov/DHS/p… In February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta issued detailed guidance for how to limit pandemic flu when it hits. www.pandemicflu.gov/… The Oregon Department of Education engaged in a three-hour “table top exercise” in May. web1.ode.state.or.us…
Somehow, California found the money to buy 21,000 fully equipped hospital beds, 2,500 ventilators, and 50,000 masks for health workers. Seattle has trained community organizations to stockpile equipment. King County, Wash., has put 13 successive drafts of its pandemic flu plan on the Web for evaluation, refinement and action. www.metrokc.gov/heal… The county plans to close schools and child care centers and move aggressively to limit infections.
What about local planning?
Local officials have been slow to make their plans for a bird flu epidemic available to the public, so it is hard for the public to know what, if anything, they are planning in the way of community containment (social-distancing enforcement).
If the Northwest electrical grid fails and workers who should make repairs are stricken with flu, the region could suffer blackouts. If water plants break down and one-third of employees don’t show up for work because they or their children are sick, we may lose our water supply for a few days. If one-third of the truck drivers bringing food to Eugene are ill and can’t drive, stores may quickly empty.
The Centers for Disease Control has stated that our only hope is to keep people from gathering in crowds - so-called “social distancing.” This is, of course, what Eugene’s measles patient refused to do two weeks ago.
Planning for school closings?
The CDC stated in its February 2007 Pre-Pandemic Plan that schools, child care centers and universities should prepare to close for as much as 12 weeks to limit spread of the disease and save lives.
School closures are a key to effective action. In Seattle during the 1918 flu pandemic, Mayor Ole Hanson closed schools and theaters and banned religious gatherings. Seattle’s superintendent of schools called the mayor “hysterical.” The mayor replied, “We would rather listen to a live kicker than bury him.” But public resistance was so strong that Hanson resigned and left town within a year.
To avoid Ole Hanson’s fate, local government and public-health officials should be planning in an open matter with the public for school closures. But they have been slow to make their plans for a bird flu epidemic available to the public. As a consequence, Eugene-area citizens have no basis for confidence that local officials today will move quickly. In fact, my investigations suggest that planning for school closings or other social distancing has just not taken place.
Public availability of local plans
I started asking to see copies of local pandemic flu plans about two months ago. Eugene’s Mayor had a staff member send me a copy, but the plan is not easily available for others to see and evaluate. No wonder. It has no provisions for protecting Eugene’s population. It is focused mostly on keeping city services working, keeping sick people out of City Hall, and reassuring staff.
Similarly, the Eugene School District has no emergency plan specific to pandemic flu.
As for Springfield, staff assured the City Council in December that its plan would be “only accessible by internal employees,” not by the public. I filed an Oregon Public Records Act request and got a copy. The plan fails to resolve many important issues, such as the likely triggers for closing schools and child care facilities.
Fire Chief Dennis Murphy, who heads up the planning, is savvy, informed and literate regarding pandemic flu. He asserts, “The city of Springfield has the authority under the law to take any of the actions required to assure public safety.” Whether he can actually exercise that authority - such as closing schools for three months - may be a function of politics and public outcry as much as legality. It is also a function of whether others know that such closures might occur and plan for them.
After my request, Springfield officials put their plan on the Web last week, at www.ci.springfield.o… . It has almost nothing about social distancing, and no procedure has yet been established for the public to advise and participate in revising it.
Little evidence of local school planning
Policies in the Springfield School District provide that the superintendent can also order schools to be closed. But at the end of February 2007, the Springfield School Board stated that when pandemic flu strikes “the district will create an emergency plan.” That will be a little late.
The schools may be expecting to follow suggestions from state or local officials, but failure to engage in specific planning is an Achilles’ heel for any such efforts.
School planning should have triggers
Intervention must be early and swift. In fact, a workable plan should consider having specific triggers, based on the death rate of the pandemic. If it is as deadly as the 1918 flu, schools should probably be closed as soon as the first case is detected in Oregon, as was done in St. Louis. Local plans do not have such triggers.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Castillo wrote to schools last September, saying they should begin planning for a pandemic. www.ode.state.or.us/… The state education plan contemplates that schools will be closed by county health officials, not by the schools or city officials, despite what Springfield and its School Board are assuming. Given these conflicts, it is not clear who, if anyone, would take local responsibility for ordering closures.
During the May “table top exercise,” planners in the Oregon Department of Education observed that school closures may last up to 12 weeks. State education and health agencies are expected to provide guidance on “timelines, trigger points and messages,” but no trigger points have been established. The final report of the exercise, prepared last week, notes that during a prolonged closure, “schools will face a wide variety of staffing, financial and administrative burdens. Plans for addressing these burdens have not been established in a cohesive way across the state.”
Compare this to King County, Washington’s, publicly available pandemic flu plan, which contains explicit protocols such as this: “All K-12 school facilities within a jurisdiction would be closed. Schools would be encouraged to incorporate Web-based learning and public access TV media into class curricula, and would encourage home schooling.” www.metrokc.gov/heal…
Higher education is unprepared
Other educational institutions are also critically important. After all, the 1918 flu struck hardest at young people in their 20s and 30s. The University of Oregon vaguely recognizes that it may have to close classes, cancel scheduled events, and even close dormitories, but it has done no planning for teaching through the Internet, which would make closures more feasible. As for what would trigger such a decision, the UO has no clear plan. It asserts that it will look at what other universities are doing and what the state and county advise.
Drafts of the UO plan have not been circulated to the full university community for comment and are not on the Web. Lane Community College also has no pandemic flu plan on its Web site - even though the local Pandemic Flu Summit was held at LCC last September.
County plan is kept from public
I went looking for a Lane County plan. I found only a simple chart on the Web. www.co.lane.or.us/HH… The rest of the plan is being held back. When I asked for a copy in April, a staff member replied, “The specific procedures and plans are not a public document.” When I pressed, he sent some excerpts that gave few grounds for hope.
As he wrote to me, “You’ll notice that the plan does not indicate the use of ‘involuntary’ or ‘compulsory’ closure of schools.” Instead, the county would recommend that government, school and university officials close schools. These others may follow the recommendations but they have made no clear, publicly available commitments to do so - and have made no plans for alternative methods of delivering education.
State of Oregon to rely on “voluntary” measures
Oregon’s official Pandemic Influenza Plan, which is available on the Web, www.oregon.gov/DHS/p… , also stresses that Oregon intends to rely on “voluntary” actions. A member of the state’s Public Health Division said last October, “In the event of a widespread pandemic, the state can expect little material or personnel assistance from the federal government; similarly local communities will receive little assistance from the state.”
One of the greatest current confusions among officials revolves around who will take responsibility to close schools and other gathering places. In the event of a flu disaster, each may point to someone else for the “heckuva job” that didn’t get done.
Community planning or family-prep?
Without good public planning and trained officials, each family will be on its own. Images of families trying to flee Hurricane Katrina spring to mind. But there will be nowhere to run. We may wish we had even the limited degree of safety found in the New Orleans Convention Center, as a flood of pandemic flu arises around us.
Planning for a flu pandemic by local officials must be accelerated. As Springfield Fire Chief Murphy puts it, “Who says we get any longer to prepare than tomorrow or the day after?”
—————————–
Posted June 26th, 2007 at 10:21 amJohn Bonine teaches administrative and constitutional law at the University of Oregon, specializing in good governance and citizen participation.
Professor John E. Bonine (Post#14)
Your concern about water plants is understood but sewage plants may be more critical.
People can store water at home. Hence waste will flow from house and hospital days after the water and power are cut off. Without treatment all that stuff will just bubble up and out into the streets at the low spots in the line.
Yes we are talking millions of gallons per day. You rate will deepened on your city.
Lastly - great job on documentation!
As I posted on Mrs Weinreich blog “Where do we go from here”, I ask on the eve of the close of the blog
Where do *they* go from here.
We are convinced and moving. We are either leading or coming up to speed on H5N1.
Where do others go from here?
IMHO - that is how we will make it happen.
Regards,
Posted June 26th, 2007 at 11:53 amKobie
Today is the last day of the blog.
I want HHS & the CDC to come to my State, community; Iowa, Des Moines…and inform the local health department to speak the truth. I want the schools informed of the truth. I want PSA’s on prime time TV, radio and in the newspapers on a regular basis. I want to be able to ask for an updated State plan and get it. I want to know that if I need informatin from officials that I will not get the run-around. I want to be able to go to the church on my street and to be able to talk with them about a subject that is now familiar with them because they saw the PSA’s. I want my daughters school to understand the risks and make plans on when to close (early). I want to be able to go to the doctor and ask for a prescription of tamiflu and other life saving drugs.
You all have work to do.
Get it done.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my views.
Posted June 26th, 2007 at 1:52 pmGreg,
The below comments are my own and not anyone else’s.
What about the current nurse shortage? Or to be more specific the teaching nurse shortage?
How can we be taken seriously, if we are not producing enough nurses to handle our current needs much less our needs during a flu pandemic?
Please address this nurse shortage, because this dual solution will help with current needs (e.g. seasonal flu) and crisis needs such as a flu pandemic.
Common Sense>
Posted June 26th, 2007 at 2:17 pmThe American Red Cross does have a course called “Home Care for Pandemic Flu” released internally in the spring of 2006. Contact your local Red Cross to see if they can offer it.
Posted June 26th, 2007 at 2:48 pmFluPlanner (Post#18),
Thank you I will.
Tomorrow when I volunteer to help at a blood drive I will ask and try to let people know what they say. So far “Pandemic”, Avian Flu, and the Red Cross courses where news to them. Yes this is normal. From IBM to Microsoft there are so many people and projects. Grummund on Long Island was tight knit - IMHO.
Check list to make it happen:
1) First aide
2) CPR for Adults and children.
3) AED training
4) Make sure somone else knows CPR and first aide else “you will be able to save them but no one will be as well trained to save you.”
5) Wilderness First Aide - Great course for hikers, boaters, cavers or anyone who may be more than 30 min from help.
6) CERT or where ever your skills take you!
Regards
Posted June 26th, 2007 at 8:08 pmKobie
“Try something new each day” - word of wisdom few are smart enough to follow.
Dr. Dworkin,
Thank you and the others for posting. This is more than a government /citizen problem. IMHO it is a business / citizen / citizen / medical / defense / government problem.
While at times some did not feel like they where being heard. That the posts meant more to other posters like PFI folks or Boone or FluWiki. You and others posted here and elsewhere. You have attended meeting and given presentations.
I do not know where you found the time.
Just in the short time this blog has been on line the WHO has confirmed 8 more H5N1 cases and 5 deaths.
Sources: May: www.who.int/csr/dise…
June: www.who.int/csr/dise…
I remember how HIV /AIDS started out slow. We thought we could control it. It was a private matter. I hope many more are paying attention to H5N1.
There is still so much to do and talk about. I truly hope these posts have made a difference.
This morning while volunteering at a blood drive today I saw a funny thing. Just how polietly separated large business or groups can be. No one wants a turf battle.
What I learned from my local office:
1) Red Cross blood collection is separate branch from the Red Cross disaster group.
2) Pandemic Red Cross and WHO information where meet with a cold response. Papers would be read later.
3) DoD pandemic planning manual got a warm response. How? She took three steps to the copier before I said “This is your copy.” They immediately started reading the book.
What I learned was large organizations have separate branches and a feeling of turf area. Not turf war but “that is their area, not mine.” Hence “they” or that department worry about pandemics and I worry about my area.
Second - Government seal of approval carries weight.
Still no word on blood collections during a pandemic.
Some virus - like colds - and traits like sickle cell are not transmitter through blood. No word on H5N1. I believe this is a FDA issue, not a Red cross call.
My *opinion* is that H5N1 is like malaria, mad cow, AIDS, etc and can be. That is my *opinion*.
If this is true than organ donations will be down as well.
The take away: you may find that your business, school or government has a crack team working on H5N1 and it will be polietly kept in their department till it is needed.
Regards,
Kobie
Fact:
Adult has 11 pints of blood
Newborn have just under one.
Overheard today:
Posted June 27th, 2007 at 2:38 pmQ: how many pints are in the body
A: The three pints I had at the bar.
Q: How many pints of *blood* are in the body
A: All of them :o) you got some funny people out there
Thank you, Dr. Dworkin, for your tremendous efforts as a member of the community leaders forum and as a guest blogger here at the DHHS blog.
You’ve shared critical information with our leaders, and spurred many of us to post here and begin a discussion that we all hope will continue.
Well done!
Posted June 27th, 2007 at 5:55 pm