Resources for pandemic preparedness
For those of you who subscribe to Briefings on Infection Control, you’ll notice this month’s issue includes a special report insert regarding pandemic planning. If you don’t subscribe to this newsletter we are offering the special report as a free download for OSHA Healthcare Advisor readers. You can find it on the Tools page under “Pandemic planning.”
You’ll also find a number of other pandemic related downloads that may be helpful while you plan for the upcoming flu season, including a sample plan built for Brevard County (FL) Hospitals.
Also, if your looking for specific pandemic information, you might try our archive of pandemic influenza blog posts, which includes updates on N95 respirator guidelines, links, ask the expert answers, and H1N1 news dating back to April.
Lastly, listed below are a number of online resources for both H1N1 and seasonal influenza preparedness, as referenced in the special report. These Web sites should provide you with the most recent information on H1N1 and offer planning strategies and recommendations.
In case you don’t have them bookmarked already:
- CDC recommendations for H1N1 (or you can just click widget to the right)
- World Health Organization updates (no doubt you’re already familiar with this one from the spring)
- Pandemic flu information from the Department of Health and Human Services
- Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy, University of Minnesota (frequently updated news site that focuses primarily on flu related material)
Planning strategies and guidelines:
- American College of Emergency Physicians H1N1 (Swine Flu) Resources and Updates (including the National Strategic Plan for Emergency Department Management of Outbreaks of Novel H1N1 Influenza)
- EMS Pandemic Influenza Guidelines for Statewide Adoption
- AHRQ Mass Medical Care with Scarce Resources: A Community Planning Guide (a long document, but a lot of information)
Recommendations:
- Recommendations for Protocol Development for 9-1-1 Personnel and Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs)
- CDC respirator andface mask guidance (to read more on respirators vs. surgical masks, click here)
Health departments:
- Map of state health departments (these are often your best guidance in terms of specific state requirements and planning procedures)
Finally, a lighthearted approach to containing the flu:
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