Below is a Q&A with Janice Doyle, the district’s lead nurse. Doyle is a registered nurse (RN) and has a Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN).

There’s been talk in the media about pandemic flu. Why is it receiving so much attention?
There are many types of flu viruses. Certain strains infect humans, birds or animals. An influenza virus that infects birds is called avian flu or bird flu. 

 

The strain of avian flu causing recent outbreaks in Asian and Eastern European birds is of concern for several reasons:

 

** This flu strain can spread from birds to people and cause serious illness and death. At this point, the virus does not appear to spread easily from person to person but that could change.

 

** When a bird flu strain infects people, there is a chance the virus could change to a new virus that spreads easily from person to person.

 

** No one will be immune to this virus. There is no flu vaccine and making a safe vaccine could take months.

 

** The virus could spread rapidly around the world and cause a pandemic

 

 

What is the difference between “pandemic” and “epidemic”?
A pandemic is an outbreak of a disease in many countries at the same time or a worldwide epidemic. An epidemic is an outbreak of a disease that occurs in one or several limited areas, like a city, state or country. 

 

 

When was the last pandemic flu?
Several pandemics of influenza have occurred in the last century. The biggest pandemic flu was in 1918 when at least 500,000 Americans died and there were an estimated 10 million deaths worldwide. U.S. deaths in previous influenza pandemics also include 1957 – 70,000 and 1968 – 40,000. During a typical influenza season, 36,000 people die.

 

 

What is the federal government doing to address this issue?
The National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza guides our nation’s preparedness and response to an influenza pandemic. The plan supplies guidance to national, state, and local policy makers and health departments, outlining key roles and responsibilities during a pandemic and specifying preparedness needs and opportunities. 

 

Major components of the plan include:

** Intensifying surveillance and containment measures

 

** Stockpiling of antivirals and vaccines (when they are developed)

 

** Creating a seamless network of federal, state and local preparedness

 

** Developing public education which is critical to keep the public informed

 

 

 

What is Pierce County and Bethel School District doing to deal with a possible outbreak?
The Tacoma Pierce County Health Department has developed a pandemic flu plan based on federal and state guidelines. The Tacoma Pierce County Health Department, Puget Sound ESD and Pierce County Emergency Management sponsored the Pandemic Flu School Forum on December 8, 2005. I presented Pandemic Flu in Schools at this workshop. Bethel School District sent a team to learn what is needed to develop a pandemic flu plan. A team has been working on preparations for a pandemic flu since the beginning of the school year. 

 

 

What are precautionary measures that students and staff should take?
The current recommendations are the same as for influenza:

 

Cover your cough and sneeze.

 

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough.

 

Sneeze or cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands if you do not have a tissue.

 

Wash your hands regularly—soap and water works best, but clean with antiseptic hand cleaner if soap and water are not available.

 

Stay home when you are sick.

 

Get the flu vaccine.

 

Information will be available as additional recommendations are made.

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