Federal
Updates
On
February 6, the Department of Human and Health Services (HHS) proposed a $698
billion budget for FY 2007, an increase of $58 billion from last year. Included in the proposed budget are further
allocations of funds for pandemic preparedness and response:
·
$23 billion allowance
for the expansion of domestic vaccine and surge capacities, antiviral
stockpiles, research and development of vaccines and antivirals, and supplies
for the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS)
·
$352 million for the
expansion of capabilities in surveillance, detection, risk communication,
response, and containment
·
$1.3 billion HHS
investment in the improvement of state and local public health preparedness
·
Increased funding of
$110 million for the development of new medical countermeasures for the SNS
·
A $20 million
increase in funding for improving safeguards to the national food supply during
a public health emergency or terrorist attack.
For
more on the breakdown of the proposed 2007 HHS budget, visit http://www.hhs.gov/budget/07budget/overview.html.
Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) releases list of disinfectants that can be used in
poultry facilities against avian influenza
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released a list of 90
registered disinfectants that can be used and are currently in use in poultry
facilities to protect against influenza A viruses. Though these disinfectants are not specific for H5N1, the EPA
believes that these products will be effective against the H5N1 avian influenza
strain. For a list of these registered
disinfectants and guidelines on their use, visit the EPA site at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/avian_flu_products.htm.
Business
Planning:
In order to assist businesses in planning for pandemic influenza,
HHS and the CDC have developed guidelines and checklists for planning for the
impact on businesses, employees and consumers.
It has guidelines on establishing policies during pandemic, information
on allocating resources, and strategies for educating and communicating with
employees[1].
A national conference on business planning for
pandemic influenza was held on Feb 14 and 15
in Minneapolis, sponsored by the University of Minnesota Center for Infectious
Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), along with the US and Minnesota Chambers
of Commerce. A poll taken during the
conference on business preparedness indicated only 18% out of 300 businesses
who participated declared that they had plans in place for pandemic influenza,
59% started to plan, 21% had not started yet and 2% rely on their existing crisis
management plans. Key areas of
importance for business planning included focusing on workers, the involvement
of business leaders in planning strategies, reconsidering methods for obtaining
supplies and materials, and government restrictions[2].
Family
Planning:
In
order for households to prepare for a pandemic, the government has provided
information that gives planning suggestions to individuals and families and can
be accessed at www.pandemicflu.gov. These suggestions include a checklist,
health information sheets, emergency contact forms and general information on
what people can expect in the event of a pandemic. The checklist includes activities such as stockpiling supplies of
non-perishable foods and water, becoming familiar with your local community flu
plan, and practicing good hygiene to avoid infection. The health information sheets and emergency contact forms will be
helpful if medical attention is needed.
They provide contact information, blood type, allergies and medical
conditions for each person in the household.
In order for people to be prepared and informed in the event of a
pandemic they should be ready for disruptions in usual services, schools,
travel and other aspects of daily life, and they should inquire about the
possibility of working from home. By
using these resources people can begin to take steps in their own homes to
prepare for pandemic flu.
Trisha
Asuncion; Dr. Thomas Calhoun, MD, FACS; Susan Francisco, Aisha Salazar, and Dr.
Camelia Savulescu, MD, MPH
Graduate
Students, Master of Science Program in Biohazardous Threat Agents and Emerging
Infectious Diseases
Georgetown
University School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Washington,
DC