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Public Service Announcement...Or Something
May. 9th, 2006 01:34 pmABC is airing a made for TV movie tonight "Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America."...I got this email on a list from someone regarding that and the worry/fear/concern that might result, and what aspects of the movie are real, or could be real and what are not...It's LONG, so I cut it.
I apologize for the length of this email but there is a great deal of
information that should be communicated here. In addition to the
resources here anyone with specific questions should contact their local
Health Department office (Prince William Health District 703-792-6300).
On Tuesday, May 9 at 8 p.m., the ABC television network will air a
made-for-TV movie titled "Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America." The
movie follows an outbreak of the H5N1 avian flu virus from its origins
in a Hong Kong market through its mutation into a pandemic virus that
becomes easily transmittable from human to human and spreads rapidly
around the world. Among the story lines featured, several of the
movie's key characters are the Secretary of Health & Human Services, a
CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service officer, and the Governor of Virginia.
More information on the film can be found on the ABC-TV Website at:
http://abc.go.com/movies/birdflu.html .
* The "Bird Flu Virus" has NOT mutated allowing human to human
transmission, and in-fact may not.
* The ABC Movie "Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America" is a movie,
not a documentary. It is a work of fiction designed to entertain and
not a factual accounting of a real world event.
* There is no influenza pandemic in the world at this time.
* Also, it is important to remember that H5N1 avian influenza is
almost exclusively a disease of birds. The H5N1 virus has not yet
appeared in the U.S.
* Should the H5N1 virus appear in the U.S., it does not mean the
start of a pandemic.
* An additional point to remember is that the next influenza
pandemic could be substantially less severe than what the movie depicts
or that occurred in 1918. For example, the influenza pandemics of
1957/58 and 1968/69 caused so much less illness and death than did the
1918/19 pandemic that many Americans at that time did not distinguish
them from seasonal influenza and were unaware that a pandemic was
underway.
* While the movie does serve to raise awareness about avian and
pandemic flu, we hope it will inspire preparation - not panic. There
are steps individuals, families and communities can take to prepare.
You can keep a supply of food and medicines on hand in case you have to
stay home, you can practice good public health measures like frequent
hand washing and staying home when sick. There is good information
available on www.pandemicflu.gov.
* The film does depict scenarios that could unfold should a severe
pandemic ever develop, including limited availability of antivirals and
vaccines as well as the potential for disruption of supplies, medicines
and other essential services.
* The film also illustrates the expected months-long delay in
developing an effective vaccine against a pandemic strain of influenza
once it emerges. This is why, at the President's request, the Congress
approved funding for the Department of Health and Human Services to make
significant financial investments to improve the technology for vaccine
development and to build up our domestic vaccine production capacity, to
ensure more rapid availability of vaccine for the population in a
pandemic.
* The film highlights an important aspect of planning - individual
and community planning and cooperation that will be so vital to
sustaining communities and neighborhoods during an extended wave of an
influenza pandemic. HHS has developed an extensive set of planning
documents, including planning checklists for businesses, schools, health
care providers, community organizations and states as well as an
individual and family planning guide. All of these materials are
available at www.pandemicflu.gov.
* While the H5N1 virus has not yet appeared in the U.S., and there
is no influenza pandemic in the world at this time, it is important for
all Americans to be informed about this potential public health threat
and some of the steps individual Americans can take to protect
themselves and their families in the event of a pandemic.
( FAQ Right This Way )
I apologize for the length of this email but there is a great deal of
information that should be communicated here. In addition to the
resources here anyone with specific questions should contact their local
Health Department office (Prince William Health District 703-792-6300).
On Tuesday, May 9 at 8 p.m., the ABC television network will air a
made-for-TV movie titled "Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America." The
movie follows an outbreak of the H5N1 avian flu virus from its origins
in a Hong Kong market through its mutation into a pandemic virus that
becomes easily transmittable from human to human and spreads rapidly
around the world. Among the story lines featured, several of the
movie's key characters are the Secretary of Health & Human Services, a
CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service officer, and the Governor of Virginia.
More information on the film can be found on the ABC-TV Website at:
http://abc.go.com/movies/birdflu.html .
* The "Bird Flu Virus" has NOT mutated allowing human to human
transmission, and in-fact may not.
* The ABC Movie "Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America" is a movie,
not a documentary. It is a work of fiction designed to entertain and
not a factual accounting of a real world event.
* There is no influenza pandemic in the world at this time.
* Also, it is important to remember that H5N1 avian influenza is
almost exclusively a disease of birds. The H5N1 virus has not yet
appeared in the U.S.
* Should the H5N1 virus appear in the U.S., it does not mean the
start of a pandemic.
* An additional point to remember is that the next influenza
pandemic could be substantially less severe than what the movie depicts
or that occurred in 1918. For example, the influenza pandemics of
1957/58 and 1968/69 caused so much less illness and death than did the
1918/19 pandemic that many Americans at that time did not distinguish
them from seasonal influenza and were unaware that a pandemic was
underway.
* While the movie does serve to raise awareness about avian and
pandemic flu, we hope it will inspire preparation - not panic. There
are steps individuals, families and communities can take to prepare.
You can keep a supply of food and medicines on hand in case you have to
stay home, you can practice good public health measures like frequent
hand washing and staying home when sick. There is good information
available on www.pandemicflu.gov.
* The film does depict scenarios that could unfold should a severe
pandemic ever develop, including limited availability of antivirals and
vaccines as well as the potential for disruption of supplies, medicines
and other essential services.
* The film also illustrates the expected months-long delay in
developing an effective vaccine against a pandemic strain of influenza
once it emerges. This is why, at the President's request, the Congress
approved funding for the Department of Health and Human Services to make
significant financial investments to improve the technology for vaccine
development and to build up our domestic vaccine production capacity, to
ensure more rapid availability of vaccine for the population in a
pandemic.
* The film highlights an important aspect of planning - individual
and community planning and cooperation that will be so vital to
sustaining communities and neighborhoods during an extended wave of an
influenza pandemic. HHS has developed an extensive set of planning
documents, including planning checklists for businesses, schools, health
care providers, community organizations and states as well as an
individual and family planning guide. All of these materials are
available at www.pandemicflu.gov.
* While the H5N1 virus has not yet appeared in the U.S., and there
is no influenza pandemic in the world at this time, it is important for
all Americans to be informed about this potential public health threat
and some of the steps individual Americans can take to protect
themselves and their families in the event of a pandemic.
( FAQ Right This Way )
