Small steps but steps in the right direction. It's taking time, but there is progress:
Every household in Fairfax County [Virginia] should receive a pamphlet from the county's health department by the end of the month about protecting against a flu pandemic.Health department staff began mailing the guide to 440,000 households in the county on July 16, and will also be available from the health department in different languages. It is part of the county's endeavor to prepare residents to cope with pandemic influenza, according to Gloria Addo-Ayensu, the county's health director
"Management and care of sickness at home is key for pandemic preparedness," Addo-Ayensu said.
Area hospitals and physicians are currently not equipped with the personnel needed to care for the number of people expected to get sick during a pandemic influenza, according to Addo-Ayensu. (Fairfax County Times)
I haven't seen the 17-page pamphlet, "Caring for Yourself and Others: Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza," but the recognition that the health care system will be unavailable because overloaded and itself crippled by illness amongst staff is an important message. People will be caring for each other, either friends or family, and getting psychologically ready is as important as the knowledge. The best most will be able to do is good supportive care, relief of symptoms, and elementary protection for care-givers. But in a significant number of instances that might make the difference.
Here's what I hope the message isn't: "you are on your own and it's every person for themselves." Here's what I hope the message is: "it's time for everyone in the community help look after and help each other. Here are some ways you can do this." Now it's time for local and state government to strengthen whatever structures they have in their communities that will help people help each other. This is not just public health. It is also social services and the organization of volunteers.
Small steps. But still steps in the right direction.
- Log in to post comments
Revere: I haven't read the pamphlet cover to cover yet, but the bits that I have skimmed do take a neighbor helping neighbor or extended family approach. It advises Fairfax County residents to come up with a family care plan and a backup plan in case members of the household are too sick to care for each other--in other words, make connections in your community to provide Plan B.
Unfortunately, it still calls for two weeks of preps. But as you say, it is a step in the right direction.
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency/pandemicflu/county_influenza_gui…
Links provided below.
I wish it had more focus on the level and conditions of care that would be faced during a pandemic (more field expedient measures including infection control suggestions) and that they would have said "at least two weeks, but more if you can manage it" for critical stay-home stockpile, but its mere distribution puts these folks far ahead of many communities (most?) in getting the word out.
Interestingly, the guide describes pandemic wave duration as 6-12 weeks, which may be taking into consideration the lengthening impact that community mitigation (fka NPI) has been projected to have on the duration of waves.
Fairfax County Pandemic Flu Preparedness page:
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency/pandemicflu/
Caring for Yourself and Others - Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza
A Preparedness Guide for the Fairfax and Falls Church Community
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency/pandemicflu/county_influenza_gui…
Looks like the Los Angeles County prep manual from two years back with a new emphasis on the BF. Good though. The more that people become aware that this is a no shit deal then we can all get thru this a little better. I dont see the section though about telling the local busybody.
Almost like the town crier.