Public Service Announcement...Or Something
May. 9th, 2006 01:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
badstarABC 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.
FAQs
Many people in the movie are seen wearing surgical masks. Will masks
protect me?
Surgical masks are recommended for health care workers who are subjected
to repeated exposure to multiple patients. For health care workers
performing certain medical procedures on infected patients, N95
respirators are recommended. Surgical masks are also recommended for
patients who are infected to help reduce the potential for spread of
virus when these people cough or sneeze. HHS will continue to review
and update as needed its public health guidance on the use of masks and
respirators by healthcare workers and by the general public.
The movie shows the virus spreading in many ways besides coughing or
sneezing, such as handshakes, kissing, sharing drinks, etc. Is that
correct?
Influenza virus is primarily spread by airborne droplets that reach the
eyes, nose or mouth but can also spread by touching contaminated
surfaces and then touching one's face. This highlights the importance
of learning and practicing good personal hygiene, including:
* Wash hands frequently with soap and water.
* Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or
sneeze.
* Put used tissues in a waste basket.
* Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve if you don't have a
tissue.
* Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing. Use soap and water
or an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
* Stay at home if you are sick.
The film indicates that there will be a shortage of Tamiflu (or other
antivirals) in a pandemic. Will there be? And if so, what is the
government doing to prevent that?
HHS is stockpiling enough antivirals to treat 25% of the U.S. population
should a pandemic occur in the U.S. This figure is based on historical
data from past pandemics indicating that roughly 25% of the population
would get sick in a pandemic and would benefit from antiviral treatment
if started early in the course of illness. To date, the U.S. government
has purchased 26 million antiviral treatment courses and expects to have
on hand a total of 81 million treatment courses by the end of 2008.
In the movie officials quickly find out that there is no vaccine
available when the pandemic occurs nor will any be available for many
months. Will we have vaccine available if a pandemic occurs?
There likely will be no vaccine initially available that precisely
matches the pandemic strain when a pandemic begins. Because influenza
viruses continually evolve and mutate, it is not possible to develop a
vaccine until after the pandemic strain actually comes into existence.
Only after the strain emerges, is isolated and characterized can a
vaccine be developed and manufactured. Based upon current vaccine
production processes and capacities, it will take at least 6 months to
begin producing pandemic vaccine once a pandemic strain occurs.
HHS has been developing and stockpiling an experimental "pre-pandemic"
H5N1 vaccine that may offer some level of immune protection should the
H5N1 virus mutate into a pandemic strain. Having a stockpile of this
vaccine for up to 20 million people, may help delay or lessen the
initial impact of a pandemic while vaccine against the actual pandemic
strain is developed and produced.
However, HHS is making 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.
Many neighborhoods were quarantined in the film. Even the Governor of
Virginia quarantined himself, his staff and his family from the rest of
the world. Will the government quarantine people in a pandemic?
The purpose of quarantine is to separate people who have been
potentially exposed to a contagious disease and may be infected but are
not yet ill to stop the spread of that disease. The last large-scale
quarantine measures that were imposed in this country were used in the
early 20th century to contain outbreaks of plague, yellow fever, and
smallpox.
Today, quarantine typically refers to confining potentially infected
persons to their homes or community-based facilities, usually on a
voluntary basis. Quarantine can be used for a defined group of people
who may have been exposed at a public gathering, or who may have been
exposed while traveling, particularly overseas. In extreme cases,
quarantine could apply to an entire geographic area, in which case a
community may be closed off by sealing its borders or by a barricade,
known as a "cordon sanitaire".
In the case of pandemic influenza, quarantine may be one of the public
health tools employed in the early days of an emerging pandemic if
efforts are undertaken to contain the outbreak before it spreads too
widely. Once a pandemic has begun to spread, quarantine is not likely
to be effective in controlling the spread, and instead efforts may turn
to "social distancing." Social distancing includes measures to increase
distance between individuals, such as staying home when ill unless
seeking medical care, avoiding large gatherings, telecommuting, and
school closures.
In the movie, we learn that the virus is beginning to develop resistance
to Tamiflu, rendering the drug useless. Could that happen? If so, why
are we buying so much Tamiflu for the stockpile?
Tamiflu, and another antiviral, Relenza, have shown effectiveness in
treating influenza. Early evidence suggest that Tamiflu may be
effective in treating those patients who have been infected with the
H5N1 avian flu virus. While there have been a few reports of Tamiflu
resistance developing on therapy, there has been no transmission of a
resistant virus. The resistance developing on therapy has been
associated with starting the drug late or using low doses of this drug.
Tamiflu, when used at proper doses and started within a few days of the
appearance of symptoms should be effective treatment of this infection.
Relenza has not been used in treating human H5N1 cases to date, as it
has been unavailable in many countries that have had people infected
with H5N1. but experts expect it would be an effective treatment also.
HHS is stockpiling enough antivirals to treat 25% of the U.S. population
should a pandemic occur in the U.S. This figure is based on historical
data from past pandemics indicating that roughly 25% of the population
would get sick in a pandemic. To date, the U.S. government has
purchased 26 million antiviral treatment courses and expects to have on
hand a total of 81 million treatment courses by the end of 2008. Of its
antiviral purchases, the U.S. is buying approximately 80% of its supply
as Tamiflu and about 20% of its supply as Relenza. This is due in part
to product availability but also to the need to diversify the supply so
as to not rely solely on one medication.
Many essential services (e.g. electricity, food, water, etc.) become
scarce in the film's scenario. Could that happen?
An especially severe influenza pandemic could lead to high levels of
illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life
would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become
seriously ill at the same time. Impacts can range from school and
business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public
transportation and food delivery.
In addition, a substantial percentage of the world's population will
require some form of medical care. Health care facilities can be
overwhelmed, creating a shortage of hospital staff, beds, ventilators
and other supplies. Non-traditional sites such as schools may need to be
used for patient care to cope with demand.
The film depicted many people who simply walked off their jobs. Would
that really occur?
In a severe pandemic, it is very possible that up to 40% of a business'
or organization's workforce will be out sick or at home taking care of
sick family members. It is also possible that a small percentage of
this amount will be people who are healthy but who may be too frightened
to venture out into public.
The numbers of health-care workers and first responders available to
work can be expected to be reduced as they will be at high risk of
illness through exposure in the community and in health care settings,
and some may have to miss work to care for ill family members.
What will be do with the overwhelming number of deceased bodies if we
have a severe, 1918-like pandemic as was depicted in the film?
Addressing the possibility of a large number of deceased individuals in
a pandemic is one of our top pandemic planning priorities. Currently,
we are working on modeling studies to try to determine as clearly as we
can what we could possibly expect in terms of numbers of deaths over the
course of several pandemic waves. Until these studies are done, we
won't be able to speculate on details of what we might or might not
expect. We expect this work to be done in the next few months.
Regardless of whatever estimates are developed, it is highly unlikely
that in the 21st Century in the U.S. that we would ever resort to mass
graves. We are working with many government agencies ( e.g. VA) as well
as the private sector (e.g. the funeral industry, the cemetery industry)
to develop guidance for states, local communities and others that
maintains the dignity of the deceased, honors family wishes, and
respects religious and social customs.
Deciding who gets vaccine was a major question in the film. In a real
pandemic, how will you decide who gets vaccine first?
The greatest risk of hospitalization and death-as seen during the last
two pandemics in 1957 and 1968 pandemics and during annual
influenza-will be in infants, the elderly, and those with underlying
health conditions. These individuals, along with health care
providers, who are critical to maintaining a health care system in a
pandemic, would likely be the first individuals to receive the first
supplies of vaccine. However, in the 1918 pandemic, most deaths
occurred in young adults, highlighting the need to remain flexible on
determining priorities for vaccination groups based on the epidemiology
of an emerging pandemic.
As part of planning efforts, two Federal advisory committees-the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the National Vaccine
Advisory Committee-have made recommendations for prioritizing critical
populations that might receive the first supplies of vaccine. These
recommendations can be found in the HHS Pandemic Plan, which is
available at www.pandemicflu.gov.
In the movie, the Virginia governor's son dies because he cannot get
diabetes medicine; other drugs are not available in pharmacies.
Essential supplies, including medicine, may become unavailable during a
pandemic. As part of effective planning, individuals and families
should talk to their doctor about how to maintain adequate access to
prescription medications.
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.
FAQs
Many people in the movie are seen wearing surgical masks. Will masks
protect me?
Surgical masks are recommended for health care workers who are subjected
to repeated exposure to multiple patients. For health care workers
performing certain medical procedures on infected patients, N95
respirators are recommended. Surgical masks are also recommended for
patients who are infected to help reduce the potential for spread of
virus when these people cough or sneeze. HHS will continue to review
and update as needed its public health guidance on the use of masks and
respirators by healthcare workers and by the general public.
The movie shows the virus spreading in many ways besides coughing or
sneezing, such as handshakes, kissing, sharing drinks, etc. Is that
correct?
Influenza virus is primarily spread by airborne droplets that reach the
eyes, nose or mouth but can also spread by touching contaminated
surfaces and then touching one's face. This highlights the importance
of learning and practicing good personal hygiene, including:
* Wash hands frequently with soap and water.
* Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or
sneeze.
* Put used tissues in a waste basket.
* Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve if you don't have a
tissue.
* Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing. Use soap and water
or an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
* Stay at home if you are sick.
The film indicates that there will be a shortage of Tamiflu (or other
antivirals) in a pandemic. Will there be? And if so, what is the
government doing to prevent that?
HHS is stockpiling enough antivirals to treat 25% of the U.S. population
should a pandemic occur in the U.S. This figure is based on historical
data from past pandemics indicating that roughly 25% of the population
would get sick in a pandemic and would benefit from antiviral treatment
if started early in the course of illness. To date, the U.S. government
has purchased 26 million antiviral treatment courses and expects to have
on hand a total of 81 million treatment courses by the end of 2008.
In the movie officials quickly find out that there is no vaccine
available when the pandemic occurs nor will any be available for many
months. Will we have vaccine available if a pandemic occurs?
There likely will be no vaccine initially available that precisely
matches the pandemic strain when a pandemic begins. Because influenza
viruses continually evolve and mutate, it is not possible to develop a
vaccine until after the pandemic strain actually comes into existence.
Only after the strain emerges, is isolated and characterized can a
vaccine be developed and manufactured. Based upon current vaccine
production processes and capacities, it will take at least 6 months to
begin producing pandemic vaccine once a pandemic strain occurs.
HHS has been developing and stockpiling an experimental "pre-pandemic"
H5N1 vaccine that may offer some level of immune protection should the
H5N1 virus mutate into a pandemic strain. Having a stockpile of this
vaccine for up to 20 million people, may help delay or lessen the
initial impact of a pandemic while vaccine against the actual pandemic
strain is developed and produced.
However, HHS is making 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.
Many neighborhoods were quarantined in the film. Even the Governor of
Virginia quarantined himself, his staff and his family from the rest of
the world. Will the government quarantine people in a pandemic?
The purpose of quarantine is to separate people who have been
potentially exposed to a contagious disease and may be infected but are
not yet ill to stop the spread of that disease. The last large-scale
quarantine measures that were imposed in this country were used in the
early 20th century to contain outbreaks of plague, yellow fever, and
smallpox.
Today, quarantine typically refers to confining potentially infected
persons to their homes or community-based facilities, usually on a
voluntary basis. Quarantine can be used for a defined group of people
who may have been exposed at a public gathering, or who may have been
exposed while traveling, particularly overseas. In extreme cases,
quarantine could apply to an entire geographic area, in which case a
community may be closed off by sealing its borders or by a barricade,
known as a "cordon sanitaire".
In the case of pandemic influenza, quarantine may be one of the public
health tools employed in the early days of an emerging pandemic if
efforts are undertaken to contain the outbreak before it spreads too
widely. Once a pandemic has begun to spread, quarantine is not likely
to be effective in controlling the spread, and instead efforts may turn
to "social distancing." Social distancing includes measures to increase
distance between individuals, such as staying home when ill unless
seeking medical care, avoiding large gatherings, telecommuting, and
school closures.
In the movie, we learn that the virus is beginning to develop resistance
to Tamiflu, rendering the drug useless. Could that happen? If so, why
are we buying so much Tamiflu for the stockpile?
Tamiflu, and another antiviral, Relenza, have shown effectiveness in
treating influenza. Early evidence suggest that Tamiflu may be
effective in treating those patients who have been infected with the
H5N1 avian flu virus. While there have been a few reports of Tamiflu
resistance developing on therapy, there has been no transmission of a
resistant virus. The resistance developing on therapy has been
associated with starting the drug late or using low doses of this drug.
Tamiflu, when used at proper doses and started within a few days of the
appearance of symptoms should be effective treatment of this infection.
Relenza has not been used in treating human H5N1 cases to date, as it
has been unavailable in many countries that have had people infected
with H5N1. but experts expect it would be an effective treatment also.
HHS is stockpiling enough antivirals to treat 25% of the U.S. population
should a pandemic occur in the U.S. This figure is based on historical
data from past pandemics indicating that roughly 25% of the population
would get sick in a pandemic. To date, the U.S. government has
purchased 26 million antiviral treatment courses and expects to have on
hand a total of 81 million treatment courses by the end of 2008. Of its
antiviral purchases, the U.S. is buying approximately 80% of its supply
as Tamiflu and about 20% of its supply as Relenza. This is due in part
to product availability but also to the need to diversify the supply so
as to not rely solely on one medication.
Many essential services (e.g. electricity, food, water, etc.) become
scarce in the film's scenario. Could that happen?
An especially severe influenza pandemic could lead to high levels of
illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life
would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become
seriously ill at the same time. Impacts can range from school and
business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public
transportation and food delivery.
In addition, a substantial percentage of the world's population will
require some form of medical care. Health care facilities can be
overwhelmed, creating a shortage of hospital staff, beds, ventilators
and other supplies. Non-traditional sites such as schools may need to be
used for patient care to cope with demand.
The film depicted many people who simply walked off their jobs. Would
that really occur?
In a severe pandemic, it is very possible that up to 40% of a business'
or organization's workforce will be out sick or at home taking care of
sick family members. It is also possible that a small percentage of
this amount will be people who are healthy but who may be too frightened
to venture out into public.
The numbers of health-care workers and first responders available to
work can be expected to be reduced as they will be at high risk of
illness through exposure in the community and in health care settings,
and some may have to miss work to care for ill family members.
What will be do with the overwhelming number of deceased bodies if we
have a severe, 1918-like pandemic as was depicted in the film?
Addressing the possibility of a large number of deceased individuals in
a pandemic is one of our top pandemic planning priorities. Currently,
we are working on modeling studies to try to determine as clearly as we
can what we could possibly expect in terms of numbers of deaths over the
course of several pandemic waves. Until these studies are done, we
won't be able to speculate on details of what we might or might not
expect. We expect this work to be done in the next few months.
Regardless of whatever estimates are developed, it is highly unlikely
that in the 21st Century in the U.S. that we would ever resort to mass
graves. We are working with many government agencies ( e.g. VA) as well
as the private sector (e.g. the funeral industry, the cemetery industry)
to develop guidance for states, local communities and others that
maintains the dignity of the deceased, honors family wishes, and
respects religious and social customs.
Deciding who gets vaccine was a major question in the film. In a real
pandemic, how will you decide who gets vaccine first?
The greatest risk of hospitalization and death-as seen during the last
two pandemics in 1957 and 1968 pandemics and during annual
influenza-will be in infants, the elderly, and those with underlying
health conditions. These individuals, along with health care
providers, who are critical to maintaining a health care system in a
pandemic, would likely be the first individuals to receive the first
supplies of vaccine. However, in the 1918 pandemic, most deaths
occurred in young adults, highlighting the need to remain flexible on
determining priorities for vaccination groups based on the epidemiology
of an emerging pandemic.
As part of planning efforts, two Federal advisory committees-the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the National Vaccine
Advisory Committee-have made recommendations for prioritizing critical
populations that might receive the first supplies of vaccine. These
recommendations can be found in the HHS Pandemic Plan, which is
available at www.pandemicflu.gov.
In the movie, the Virginia governor's son dies because he cannot get
diabetes medicine; other drugs are not available in pharmacies.
Essential supplies, including medicine, may become unavailable during a
pandemic. As part of effective planning, individuals and families
should talk to their doctor about how to maintain adequate access to
prescription medications.
