Pandemic Influenza What is Pandemic Influenza? Incidence of ...

Pandemic Influenza Emergency Preparedness

What is Pandemic Influenza? Pandemic influenza (flu) is an outbreak of the influenza virus in a large part of the world. There are three types of influenza viruses: types A, B, and C. Only type A influenza causes seasonal or pandemic influenza. Avian, Swine and H1N1 influenza are type A viruses. Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tests common type A virus strains to prepare the annual flu vaccine. The vaccine does not cover all types of Influenza A. New strains that are not covered by the current influenza vaccine or those that may have changed since the flu vaccine was manufactured may not be covered, making wide-spread infection possible. Because influenza is spread through droplets in the air, a pandemic can be difficult to contain. A pandemic outbreak in any given community will last about six to eight weeks for each wave of the pandemic. There may be several waves of the illness.

Incidence of Infection During a Pandemic Approximately 30 percent or higher of the overall population will become infected during an influenza pandemic. School-aged children are at highest risk, with the incidence dropping with age. However, older adults are at high-risk for serious illness if they become infected. Many people will become infected but will not have symptoms. These people can still transmit the infection to others.

Incubation The typical incubation period, or the time between infection and onset of symptoms, for influenza is about two days. People can infect others about one day before and up to five days after symptoms appear. People are most infectious for the first two days after symptoms appear. Children are usually more infectious than adults. On average, an infected person will infect approximately two other people. © 2017 – Home Care Institute, LLC

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Pandemic Influenza Emergency Management

How Influenza Virus is Spread Droplets Influenza is largely spread through large droplets that float through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The droplets must come into contact with the mucous membranes (mouth, nose, eyes, etc.) of another person to cause infection. Droplets only travel about 3 feet, so staying at least 3 feet from others is a good way to stay healthy.

Contact In addition to becoming infected with influenza through droplets in the air, people can become infected by contacting contaminated secretions on the hands and those that have landed on the surface of objects in the environment. When these secretions are touched, they can be transferred to the person’s mucous membranes, leading to infection. This is why strict handwashing, cleaning the surfaces around an infected person, and keeping your hands away from your mouth, nose and eyes is important to preventing infection. The virus can stay infectious in contaminated secretions on surfaces of the environment for several hours.

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© 2017 – Home Care Institute, LLC


Reducing the Risk of the Spread of Influenza Infection To reduce the risk of becoming infected with the influenza virus or spreading the infection to others, the following best practices are recommended:  Get a flu shot each year.  Follow strict infection control practices, like handwashing and treating everyone as if they are infected with the virus.  Stay at least three feet from others when out in public.  Stay home and away from others at onset of symptoms.  Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing and immediately discard the tissue and wash your hands.  Be aware that regular surgical masks do not protect you against the spread of influenza droplets. A special N95 face-fitting respirator may be required. These masks must be fit-tested to ensure protection and are, therefore, not usually used by the public.

Symptoms of Influenza Influenza infection has a sudden onset, with symptoms of fever, chills, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, dry cough, upper respiratory congestion, and sore throat. When a pandemic influenza occurs, symptoms are usually more severe than seasonal influenza.

Diagnosis of Influenza While symptoms can be a good clue that you have the flu, laboratory tests to detect the influenza virus are important, especially when there is a pandemic. There are several laboratory tests that can detect the influenza virus. Most tests require swabbing deep inside of the nose. Results can be obtained within minutes.


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Pandemic Influenza Emergency Management

Treating People Infected with the Influenza Virus Most people will recover from the flu with simple bedrest, drinking extra fluids, taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) to treat fever an achiness, and taking antihistamines to treat congestion. Several anti-viral medications can be used to treat people with the flu; however, treatment must begin early. Antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. Treatment with anti-viral medications is recommended for people who are in a high risk group or are very sick. The following anti-viral medications are two of the most common used to treat influenza:  Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) – oral medication  Zanamivir (Relenza) – inhaler Side effects to these medications may include nausea and vomiting. They may be lessened if the drug is taken with food.

High Risk for Developing FluRelated Complications  Children younger than 5  Adults 65 years of age and older  Pregnant women (and women up to two weeks postpartum)  Residents of nursing homes  People with chronic diseases (i.e., diabetes, heart failure, kidney disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.)

To be effective, these medications must be given within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.

Notes:

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Test Your Knowledge 1.

2.

Seasonal and pandemic influenza is caused by which influenza virus? A. B. C.

  

A B C

D.



All of the above

People infected with the influenza virus who do not develop symptoms can still infect others. A. B.

3.

True False

After becoming infected with influenza, people begin being able to infect others: A. B. C. D.

4.

 

   

Immediately after the person becomes infected About one day before symptoms appear The day that symptoms appear Only when the person has a fever

To avoid becoming infected with influenza, you should do which of the following? A.



Get a flu shot

B. C. D.

  

Wash your hands frequently Stay at least 3 feet away from others All of the above

Continued on Next Page © 2017 – Home Care Institute, LLC

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Pandemic Influenza Emergency Management 5.

All of the following are recommended treatments for influenza EXCEPT: A. B. C. D.

   

Get plenty of rest Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever and aches Take antiviral medications Take antibiotics

Answers: 1 = A; 2 = A; 3 = B; 4 = D; 5 = D 6 of 6
