Pandemic

Pandemic Preparedness

Pandemic preparation has two integral components. First, you should have a basic 3 day emergency kit, just as you would for an earthquake, storm, hurricane, or other disaster. The only difference in preparing for a pandemic is that you should extend the level of preparation to last much longer. The flu lasts approximately two weeks, but it can conservatively take 6-8 weeks for it to go through a population. During this time you will need to be prepared for disruption of services just as with other large scale emergencies.

Second, is the preparation for infection control, it involves hygiene and barriers to contamination. Hygiene includes hand washing, covering sneezes and coughs, and daily disinfection of surfaces such as doorknobs, keyboards, and faucets. The barrier method of infection control requires that sick individuals be isolated and that others wear protective clothing. Only by wearing the appropriate quality masks, gloves, and goggles can the flu virus be prevented from entering through the mucosal membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth.

It's about time...

When a pandemic is happening around the world, we do not know how long it will last. Preparing for a pandemic is much the same as preparing for any other emergency, except that we need to extend the level of preparation to last much longer.

We have been told that we need to have enough food, water and clothing for 3 days. If you were to be quarantined....either by health officials or voluntarily.....how long could you sustain yourself? Three days? Two weeks? Three months? Now is a good time to inventory your household. What do you really have on hand?

Water is critical. You need to have 1 gallon of water per person per day for at least two weeks. That is 14 gallons per person. (Read our Water page for more information.)

Home & family pandemic preparedness

Where contact with infected persons is not expected, the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) helps individuals to prevent sprays of potentially infected liquid droplets (from talking, coughing and sneezing) from contacting their nose or mouth.

Masks: N95 masks provide protection from liquid droplets and are generally recommended. N95 masks provide superior protection in infectious environments and are filtration 95% effective against particulate aerosols free of oil.

Medical Exam Gloves: Infection is spread when a person touches droplets, nose drainage or saliva from an infected person, or a soiled object, and then touches ones own or someone else's nose or mouth before washing hands. An important function of exam gloves is to serve as a reminder to not touch your nose, eyes, mouth, or other objects. The gloves need to be turned inside out when removing to prevent contamination.

Safety Goggles: Goggles need to be worn especially when caring for infected individuals or when within 3 feet of infected individuals. Make sure they fit correctly.

Isolation Gowns, Shoe Covers, Hair Covers: Disposable isolation gowns, shoe covers and hair covers are worn when caring for infected persons. They, too, need to be removed properly to avoid contamination.

The items above MUST be removed in the proper sequence to avoid contaminating yourself.

Because gloves are considered the most contaminated piece of PPE, remove them first. Grasp opening of glove and remove glove by turning inside out. Do not touch the outside of the gloves with your bare hands during removal. If you contaminate your hands during the removal process, wash them before continuing.
N95 masks may be contaminated because droplets may have landed on them or you may have touched your face by mistake while wearing your PPE. Touch only the straps at the back of your head. Slowly remove the straps, taking care that the mask does not contaminate your bare skin or clothing.
Remove other items.
Dispose of used PPE in a plastic lined trash can or a plastic bag. Seal the plastic bag for later disposal. Hold the bag by the outside and avoid any rush of air as you seal it. Place in another plastic bag (double bag it). This prevents contamination.
Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or a hand sanitizer immediately after PPE removal.

Disinfect and Sanitize

Cups, glasses, dishes, all eating utensils, thermometers, etc., must be disinfected after use by an infected person. The eating utensils can be disinfected either by use of a dishwasher or dishwater with 1.5 tsp. f household bleach to one gallon of water. Steramine as a third rinse will sanitize those items. Handling these items while they are still contaminated will lead to possible infection. Make sure you wear gloves while handling potentially contaminated items.

Surfaces in the room of an infected person should be cleaned with Lysol or Clorox spray or wipes or a bleach solution (mentioned above). Steramine as a spray solution will sanitize the surfaces. Make sure you pay particular attention to faucets, doorknobs, telephones, refrigerator, oven, and toilet flush handles. This should be done any time there is contact by an infected person or otherwise 2-3 times a day. Linens and clothing need to be washed in warm water with detergent and preferably dried in a dryer. If you are not careful in your personal protective wear and hygiene habits, you may carry infected material on your skin or clothing which may contaminate yourself or others. Designate a specific garbage bag for infected, disposable materials.

Isolation

If you develop symptoms of the current pandemic illness, stay home and isolated from your household except to seek medical care. Remain at home for 7-10 days or until you are well and can no longer spread the infection. Seek medical care if you have signs of pneumonia or severe lung infection….difficulty breathing, wheezing, or a persistent fever over 102 degrees.

If there are cases in your neighborhood, keep your children in your yard or home away from others who may be infected. Decide in advance who you will call or what needs to be done if you are alone, ill and incapacitated, or if the adults in the home become ill and incapacitated.

Schools and day care facilities may be closed. Plan in advance how you can work from home, therefore keeping the children at home and away from others who may be infected.

Limit your exposure to public places. Plan your trip out to include as much as possible (grocery store, gas station, etc.) and keep it to a minimal amount of time out. Be sure to have plenty of food and water on hand. Also, keep a supply of your prescription medications, nonprescription drugs, and other health supplies on hand, including pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough and cold medicines, fluids with electrolytes, vitamins, rubbing alcohol, thermometers, garbage bags and cleaning supplies. Keep your car filled with gas and have cash on hand, as banks may be closed.

Maintain social distancing and stay at least 6 feet away from others at all times particularly in public. Avoid handshaking and other forms of contact. Use proper cough and sneeze etiquette even if you are not ill.

Personal pandemic preparedness
One of the integral components of Pandemic Preparation is infection control. This involves hygiene and barriers to contamination. We all understand that hygiene includes hand washing, covering sneezes and coughs, and disinfection of surfaces.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control Prevention, "Hand washing is the single most important means of preventing the spread of infection."

It may seem obvious, but, hands should be washed with soap and clean water:

When they are dirty
After using the restroom
Before and after preparing meals
After cutting and/or handling uncooked meat
Before eating
After cleaning the house
After caring for someone who is ill
After changing an infant's diaper
After cleaning up blood or body fluids
After handling soiled bed linens and clothes
Before and after flossing teeth
After you cough or sneeze in them

When washing hands, remember to clean all surfaces including between the fingers and under the nails. Hands should be washed for at least 20 seconds. (Sing the ABC song or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to make sure you are long enough). Dry with paper towels whenever possible. Use the same paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door.

If soap and water is not available, alcohol-based hand cleaners may also be used.

Cover the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. If tissues are not available, cough or sneeze into your arm or shoulder, not your hands. If you do cough or sneeze into your hands, make sure to wash or clean them with an alcohol-based hand cleaner as soon as possible to prevent the spread of germs.

Sheltering in place

Depending on the severity of a pandemic, sheltering in place could be voluntary, but may be mandatory. Families should prepare at least two weeks of emergency supplies including food, water, medicines, etc., but should be prepared for up to 12 weeks.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), isolation of the infected individual would last for the period of communicability of the illness, which varies by disease and the availability of specific treatment. Typically the ill person would be in a separate room and cared for by those who wear protective clothing. Quarantine, on the other hand, lasts only as long as necessary to protect the public by (1) providing public health care (such as immunization or drug treatment) and (2) ensuring that quarantined persons do not infect others if they have been exposed to a contagious disease. If people in a certain area were potentially exposed to a contagious disease: State and local health authorities would let people know that they may have been exposed and would direct them to get medical attention, undergo diagnostic tests, and stay at home, limiting their contact with people who have not been exposed to the disease. Only rarely would federal, state, or local health authorities issue an "order" for quarantine and isolation. However, both quarantine and isolation may be compelled on a mandatory basis through legal authority as well as conducted on a voluntary basis.

Having food, water, medicines, etc. will help individuals and families not have to leave their place of shelter and risk becoming exposed and infected. Make sure you have your basic emergency kit on hand which includes a radio. You may need to put a sign on your front door showing you are in quarantine.

Those living in areas with undependable water, electricity, and food availability should prepare emergency supplies accordingly (nonperishable food, potable water, medicines, etc.) Water purification techniques for drinking water such as boiling, filtering, and adding chlorine to locally available rainwater, lakes, rivers, and wells may replace the need to store large quantities of water.

Boiling water will kill most types of disease-causing organisms and is the most reliable method of purifying water easily. Bring the water to a boil for two minutes. Add one minute for each 5,000 feet of elevation.

The addition of chlorine bleach to water is also a viable alternative. For clear water, add 8 drops per gallon and let stand for at least 15 minutes. If the water is cloudy, add twice as much bleach. Bleach used for water purification should be unscented and have a concentration of sodium hypochlorite of at least 4%.

In addition to these methods, are the use of water filters. These physically remove particles, protozoa and bacteria including giardia, salmonella, cryptosporidium and others.

On a daily basis, while sheltering in place, cover your cough. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to kill viruses and bacteria or use a hand sanitizer with a minimum of 60% alcohol content when soap and water are not available. Use a N95 mask and disposable gloves to help prevent spread of infection.

For long term food reserves, see http://ARKready.myefoods.com

Social distancing

A pandemic can originate from any unknown source, such as the H5N1 or H1N1 virus. If a virus such as these spreads easily from person to person, it could break out globally. Because of this, social distancing helps to keep it in check.

What is Social Distancing?

Social distancing, voluntary isolation, self-shielding, and reverse quarantine are all methods that help limit close proximity between infected and healthy individuals. This can be done voluntarily by individuals or through actions taken by local, state or government officials such as closure of schools, discontinuing public transportation, and restricting large gatherings or public venues.

Why Social Distancing?

Influenza is thought to be spread primarily through large respiratory droplets that directly contact the nose, mouth, or eyes. These droplets are produced when infected individuals sneeze, cough, or talk, sending the infectious droplets and very small sprays (aerosols) into the air and into contact with other individuals. Large droplets can only travel a limited distance; therefore, individuals should limit close contact (within 6 feet) with others when possible. Influenza is also spread by touching objects contaminated with the influenza virus and then transferring the infected material from the hands to the nose, mouth, or eyes.

Basics of Social Distancing

Limit exposure to other people within 6 feet
Minimize exposure to enclosed spaces containing crowds, such as movie theaters, grocery stores, schools, malls, gas stations, etc.
Use personal protective equipment, such as N95 masks, if you need to get within 6 feet of anyone outside your immediate family (or other individuals where you have intimate knowledge of their health conditions) or if you need to go into an enclosed space containing crowds.
Wash hands after touching any item that may have been touched by others or use disposable gloves. Contaminated surfaces can transmit influenza for 24 hours.