Sims announces preparedness forum on pandemic flu

Scheduled for October 3^rd at Safeco Field, representatives from over 50 local businesses and chambers of commerce, along with representatives from fire, police and schools will be invited to hear about the potential health, social and economic impacts of a pandemic. Participants will also share ways that businesses can prepare today, talk about business needs and concerns related to a pandemic flu, and identify potential next steps that businesses can take.

This forum is one extension of an ongoing pandemic flu preparedness initiative led by Public Health – Seattle & King County in concert with King County Executive Ron Sims. The initiative includes outreach and detailed planning with the hospital and health care community, local businesses, government agencies and essential service providers, state and federal health authorities, and the public.

“While pandemic flu is not in the world today, the threat is real and growing, and the potential for human and social disruption is severe,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “We’re readying our community now for this potentially devastating force, and the business community is an essential partner in strengthening our ability to respond and recover.”

A pandemic flu is a new influenza virus that could be a much more serious flu virus than seen in a typical flu season. Different from the typical, seasonal strains of flu, humans would have no or little natural resistance to a new strain of influenza. There is no vaccine available at this time for a pandemic flu, and it is expected to take at least six months after a pandemic flu appears to develop a vaccine.

“Pandemic flu requires a different preparedness strategy,” said Dorothy Teeter, Interim Director and Health Officer for Public Health - Seattle & King County . “Buildings are left standing, and the roads remain open, but the tremendous impact on human health will change how everyone will do business when a pandemic flu comes.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that in the United States alone, an influenza pandemic could infect up to 200 million people and cause between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths. 25-35% of the workforce could be affected at any given time, and the economic impact in the United States could range from $71.3 to $166.5 billion. In King County alone, it is estimated that 1.2 million could become infected and 3,000 could die.

Basic services, such as health care, law enforcement, fire, emergency response, communications, transportation, and utilities, could be disrupted during a pandemic. Unlike many other emergency events, a pandemic flu could last for many weeks, if not months.

In particular for businesses, pandemic flu can have many impacts:

Absenteeism: A quarter or more of the working population may have to take days off work at some stage during the pandemic. In addition to absence due to illness, some workers may need time off to care for family members or may be in mourning for lost loved ones.
Changes in business culture: Businesses may consider implementing telecommuting options to reduce the number of employees in the work place, and requiring employees who may be ill or are ill to stay home.
Continuity of essential business and community services: A sudden and prolonged reduction in workforce numbers due to the impacts of pandemic flu may require some businesses to prioritize their essential business functions and temporarily suspend others.
Movement of people, goods, and services: A flu pandemic will impact all business sectors through the illness itself and the consequences of staff sickness, travel restrictions, reduced transport and deliveries etc.
Social distancing to reduce the spread of disease: Strategies for slowing the spread of a severe influenza outbreak could include temporarily closing schools, sports arenas, theaters, restaurants, taverns, and other public gathering places and facilities.

Participants will discuss strategies for business preparedness that will help decrease the economic and social disruption and human health impacts that a pandemic flu would cause in King County.

For a pandemic flu fact sheet, see www.metrokc.gov/health/prevcont/pandemic-flu.htm

For more information on how to stop germs and stay healthy, visit www.metrokc.gov/health/stopgerms and www.doh.wa.gov/FluNews/#materials

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