Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
influenza,”30
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either through shifts in operation times and/or locations,
*
or indi-
vidual behavior modification. The CDC and OPM published guidance about such
behavior modification for the 2009 and 2010 Swine Flu crisis: maintain a distance
of 6 feet from each other unless PPE masks are used. Other guidance for mitigation
included using flexible work schedules to reduce face-to-face interactions.
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Other
approaches could be used: minimizing mass gatherings (e.g., schools, churches,
malls); practicing isolation (for people who are sick or tending to the sick); or even
quarantining (a method not typically expected to be used extensively in a modern
pandemic, but might be used in severe circumstances). These tools are available to
planners and responders, and pandemic plans will almost certainly include several
of these techniques.
Many excellent examples of pandemic preparedness plans have been devel-
oped, most of which are available online at state emergency management sites (an
example of such a site is the Virginia Emergency Management website, http://www
.vaemergency.com/library/plans/index.cfm), as well as others specific to businesses
and civil entities. Each plan typically includes guidance regarding assumptions,
scenario descriptions, roles and responsibilities, a concept of operations, incident
management actions, and maintenance of the plan itself.
Of note, the WHO released a checklist for pandemic influenza preparedness
planning,
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based on their guiding document, “Pandemic Influenza Preparedness
and Response.”
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This guidance draws on “extensive practical experience ... gained
from responding to outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus
infection in poultry and humans, and from conducting pandemic preparedness
and response exercises in many countries. There is greater understanding that pan-
demic preparedness requires the involvement of not only the health sector, but
the whole of society.”
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Furthermore, “WHO decided ... to update its guidance to
enable countries to be better prepared for the next pandemic.”
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Training for and Exercising Pandemic Preparedness
Training is critical to the success of pandemic plans. It is often said that the military
is successful largely because they “train like they fight, and fight like they train.”
Pandemic plans may call for significant changes in behavior (e.g., social distancing
described previously); these changes will come about only with frequent training
and exercising, particularly if behaviors are cultural in nature. For example, take
the common practice of shaking of hands when meeting. If not practiced often,
not
shaking hands might be perceived as rude rather than a way to lessen the transmis-
sion of infectious diseases.
*
These shifts can notably include “telework.” OPM announced a new government-wide tele-
work policy in April 2009, which combined components of the Telework Improvements Act
(H.R. 1722) and the Telework Enhancement Act (S. 707).
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