Bracing for bird flu?

Dr. Maxine Hayes of the Washington State Department of Health delivers some plain talk about preparing for a pandemic.

Washington State Health Officer Dr. Maxine Hayes educated members about the potential for a flu pandemic and what government, the private sector, and the general public can do to respond to the threat, at the April 13th breakfast of the Seattle Science & Technology Discovery Series. Pointing out that there were three influenza pandemics in the 20th century, she noted that ours is the first generation to plan for pandemic flu and the severe disruption that it entails in an increasingly interdependent world. Dr. Hayes concluded her presentation by emphasizing that non-pharmacological responses will be most important in limiting the spread of flu when – not if – we are faced with the next pandemic.

Did you know...?

• Infectious disease is the #1 killer of humans. A pandemic is a large epidemic of disease occurring on several continents at the same time.
• While pandemic flu is garnering most of the attention, seasonal flu kills approximately 36,000 people in the United States each year.
• In the event of a pandemic, an estimated 30% of the population will not be able to go to work. Because 85% of our infrastructure is held by the private sector – not government – it is critical for the public and private sectors to work together now to ensure we can maintain continuity in the event of an outbreak.
• Among the non-pharmacological approaches that will be essential to slow the spread of pandemic flu: public understanding of and voluntary compliance with “social distancing,” isolation and quarantine, including school closures, working from home, and cancellation of public gatherings.

For more information on pandemic flu preparedness, visit www.doh.state.wa.gov.

The podcast of Dr. Hayes' presentation is available on the Technology Alliance web site.

Science & Technology Discovery Series is sponsored by:
AH&T, Perkins Coie, and Swedish Medical Center.