Public Health Services
Communicable Disease Control and Prevention
Information to Help You Prepare
Printable Guides to Preparing for Pandemic Flu (Requires Adobe Acrobat)
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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
What is pandemic influenza?
Pandemic influenza or pandemic flu is a worldwide outbreak of flu in people. Pandemic flu is caused by a new flu virus to which humans have no immunity. The flu virus that causes a pandemic can spread easily from person to person and may cause large numbers of people to get sick and die.
What is seasonal influenza?
Seasonal influenza (or the common flu) occurs every year. It can cause headaches, fever, sore throat, coughing and tiredness in people. Seasonal flu is spread from person to person via respiratory droplets. An infected person can spread the disease by sneezing and coughing which releases droplets into the air. People get sick by breathing those droplets or by touching their eyes, noses or mouths without washing their hands after touching surfaces or objects previously touched by an infected person. Each year, vaccine is available to protect people from getting the common flu.
How does a pandemic get started?
A human flu pandemic begins when a non-human flu virus changes from a form that doesn't easily infect humans to one that spreads easily from person to person.
How often is there flu pandemic?
On average, a pandemic has occurred every 30 to 40 years over the last 400 years. There were three flu pandemics during the 1900's. The most deadly took place in 1918. Known as the Spanish Flu, the 1918 flu pandemic killed 20 to 40 million people worldwide and millions more fell ill. Two other flu pandemics took place in 1957 and 1968. The most recent pandemic occurred in 2009 and was otherwise known as "Swine Flu".
What happens during a flu pandemic ?
- Public health experts estimate that in the US, 90 million people may become ill and over 200,000 people may die in a moderate pandemic flu scenario.
- In San Luis Obispo County, an influenza pandemic could result in as many as 5,000 illnesses and 1,000 or more deaths
- Outbreaks are expected to occur simultaneously throughout much of the US, limiting outside assistance that normally occurs with other natural disasters.
- As much as 40% of working adults may not be able to work due to illness, family member care, death, or fear of infection.
- Many businesses may close due to reduced staff, supply shortages or social distancing measures.
- A number of community containment measures may be implemented for disease control - schools and daycare centers may be closed, travel restrictions may be put in place and isolation and quarantines may be implemented.
- Hospitals and other health care facilities may be overwhelmed.
- Vaccines and certain medications may be in short supply.
How can we protect ourselves in the event of a flu pandemic?
Flu moves from person to person through respiratory droplets. This happens if droplets from the coughs or sneezes of a sick person travel through air and reach a nearby person's mouth or nose. Someone who touches respiratory droplets of a sick person (via handshakes or touching soiled objects and surfaces), and then touches his/her own mouth or nose without first washing their hands can also be infected.
Protect yourself and your family by doing the following:
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Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth with dirty hands.
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Cover your coughs and sneezes with shirt sleeve or tissue-Do not use your hands.
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Stay home when you are sick.
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Eat a balanced diet.
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Exercise frequently.
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Get the yearly seasonal flu vaccine.
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If you are over 65, get the Pneumococcal vaccine in addition to the yearly flu vaccine.
What can we do now to prepare for a pandemic?
What about antiviral medications?
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When taken appropriately, antiviral drugs (such as Tamiflu) can help reduce the symptoms and shorten the duration of flu. There are different types of antiviral drugs and they differ in terms of who can take them, how they are given, dosage based on age and medical condition, and side effects.
- There is no guarantee that antiviral medications will be effective in treating pandemic flu. Unconsistent use of antiviral medications can cause flu viruses to develop resistance against these drugs. For instance, there have existed cases where people treated for severe flu viruses early in their disease have later died of their symptoms, despite having been given Tamiflu early in their disease. For more information about antiviral medications, visit CDC's Website:"Antiviral Drugs".
Will vaccines be available during a pandemic?
An effective pandemic flu vaccine is not expected to become available until months into a pandemic. This is because no one can predict what strain of virus will cause the next flu pandemic making it nearly impossible to make a well-matched and effective vaccine in advance.
What are federal, state and local governments doing to prepare?
Federal
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed several guides and resources for pandemic preparedness and response. For more information, please go to the Federal Government's Flu planning-preparedness website. The President's pandemic plan primarily focuses on allocating funds for national stockpiles of vaccines and antiviral drugs and for the development of new vaccines.
State
The State of California, Division of Communicable Disease Control has developed a website called Influenza (FLU) with links to related seasonal and pandemuc influenza.
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Information for Individuals and Families
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Information for Faith-Based and Community Organizations
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Related Links
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Communities
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Educational resources for children
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General Information
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Health care
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Healthy habits information for home, work and school
These and other posters may be available through the SLO County Public Health Department
Call 805-781-5500 for more information
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Individuals and Families
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Pandemic Flu Websites
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Practice Good Hygiene
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Travel Advisories
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San Luis Obispo County
Public Health Services
2191 Johnson Avenue
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
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Phone: (805) 781-5500 or
Phone: (805) 788-2903 (Public Health Information Line)
Health Agency Contact Form
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