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Dr. David Hopson |
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September 25, 2006 Avian Influenza Pandemic—real or imagined, likely or not likely, serious threat or just another bit of hype by the powers that be? These are some of the questions that the school district must answer, preferably with input from our seven towns, as we develop a federal and state mandated action plan to deal with the potential of a pandemic. Whether or not the avian virus morphs into something that can pass between humans, public health statisticians advise that we are due—in fact, overdue—for a pandemic influenza outbreak. Unlike the seasonal flu, a pandemic flu is defined as a global outbreak of a new, serious virus that people have little natural immunity to. Statistically, this happens three times every 100 years; the last pandemic was in 1968. As a district, we thought it important that we try and plan for this possibility in conjunction with the boards of health and selectmen from our seven towns. The federal government, through the state Department of Public Health, has funding available for preparing for the threat of an influenza pandemic. In our original meeting, four towns were represented along with the state DPH. In reviewing the potential for a pandemic, some very sobering information was shared with participants. This included the probability of a pandemic in the next few years, the severity of illness and death if this were to happen, and the numbers of individuals who would be affected over an anticipated three major ‘waves’ of infection. What makes this planning beneficial is that it can be enacted for any emergency—from an ice storm with extended power outages to a train derailment involving a chemical spill. The schools have a responsibility in four major areas: distributing information to students and families in how to avoid getting the flu; determining the appropriate times to close and then reopen schools; developing a continuation of authority as administrators become ill; and to determine how education might continue if the schools are closed for a lengthy period of time. These areas are required by the state in planning for continuity of operations (COOP). We decided that we should add a fifth area of concern, which is aligning emergency plans with local towns. This was for several reasons including that we would have an early warning of an impending wave of absences due to illness, that we have the capability to distribute information throughout the seven towns, and that towns may request the schools to function as potential emergency centers if the incidences are as high as the State DPH predicts. During our two meetings to date, we have heard that funding and planning help is available to towns to prepare for a pandemic. The participants (only two towns at the second meeting) also heard about the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)—a means to pre-identify and pre-credential volunteers for use during any large scale emergency event—and the need to have pre-existing Memoranda of Agreement in place for the use of our schools. According to state officials at the first meeting, the towns don’t have automatic access to the schools and the state will not mandate the use of schools as emergency locations. We are also aware from conversations with emergency personnel in several towns that our schools are not currently adequate for all emergency situations, as the generators at several of our schools are not hooked up in a manner that would provide heat, light, and other essential services in case of natural disasters. This seems like an opportune time to access some state and federal assistance to plan not only for a pandemic, but to put in place a district-wide emergency planning process that will provide appropriate tools and update emergency shelters to handle a broad range of situations. To that end, the participants in these meetings have decided to establish meetings with local select-boards and boards of health to expedite this planning process. We have also set a meeting for the DPH to present an overview for planners and the public on influenza pandemic to be held at the Gateway Performing Arts Center. This meeting will be held on November 1, beginning at 6:30 p.m. I hope you will join us at this meeting and in ensuring that your town has adequate representation in establishing a district wide emergency plan for all residents.
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