Recent Questions and Answers

Here are some questions that been asked recently - and the answers to them.

  • Q: How does pandemic flu differ from seasonal flu?
  • A: Seasonal influenza flu is a respiratory illness that circulates among people every year. It is an identified strain (type of flu) for which there is a vaccine (flu shot) and most of us have some immunity.
  • A: Pandemic influenza is a novel (new) type of flu. When a new strain of flu emerges, there is no vaccine available for many months and people do not have any resistance to the new virus. This type of flu becomes a pandemic when it becomes easily passed from person to person and then spreads rapidly around the world. Scientists estimate that pandemic influenza could affect 35% or more or the world´s population.
  • Q: What is Bird Flu?
  • A: The correct term for Bird flu is avian influenza. This is a strain of flu that circulates in birds just as human strains circulate in people. When this flu virus is passed from wild birds to domestic poultry such as chickens and turkeys, it creates problems.
  • A: Bird flu is rarely passed directly to humans from birds, but can occur in humans that have close contact with infected birds. Documented cases of bird flu in humans have usually occurred through contact with body fluids (processing) or prolonged contact with fecal matter.
  • Q: What should I do to prepare for pandemic influenza?
  • A: Learn as much as you can about pandemic influenza, what your community is doing to prepare and what the U.S. government is doing to prepare. You can visit http://www.pandemicflu.gov/ to get vital information.
  • A: Every person should have a plan that includes who will be the caregiver, how will you provide in-home care, and what supplies will I need. Some of the items you will need are a two weeks supply of food and water. This includes a gallon of water per day for each person and a 14-day supply of non-perishable food. Other items to have are over-the-counter cold medicines, fever reducers, a thermometer, latex gloves, and extra prescription drugs that you may need.
  • A: Other helpful websites include:
    www.hhs.gov
    www.redcross.org
    www.cidrap.umn.edu
    www.pandemicfluandyou.org

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