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| 2007 | ||
| Pandemic Flu Planning - 2007 | ||
Preparing for the Worst: Pandemic Flu Planning in New MexicoBy Jessica Snider |
2007 Article Links Benefits of ASM Membership | |
Imagine it is the start of a new year and students have just gone back to school. The flu season seems to be normal, but within a week, a number of people fall ill. Within a month, 1 in 3 people in New Mexico fall ill and 1 in 50 die as their lungs fail. With so many ill and dying, many stores can not get supplies, such as food and gas, and people are asked to stay in their homes. And the entire world is dealing with the same thing. This is what would happen if another pandemic flu occurs. The World Health Organization has determined that the world is in a pandemic alert period, since the avian flu has been able to infect people but can not currently be passed from person to person. A number of governments across the world, including the state of New Mexico, are now developing pandemic flu plans. The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) expects to have only a month to six months till a new strain of flu will reach New Mexico after it emerges and the CDC expects a pandemic flu to cost billions of dollars. In addition to the health issues, basic services, such as food deliveries, police protection, transportation, etc, will be limited and schools and non-vital businesses will be closed. Local governments will have the power to cancel large gatherings or events, says Mack Sewell, the New Mexico state epidemiologist. Governments and health care facilities are already starting to stockpile supplies in preparation for a pandemic flu. Sewell expects the New Mexico government to spend over one million dollars on stockpiles of antiviral medications for citizens and personal protective gear for the healthcare workers. |
Tammy Iwamoto, the Infection Control Inspector for University of New Mexico (UNM) Hospital, is worried that health care workers “may not want to come to work if we don’t have soap and water, gloves, etc.” Another worry for Iwamoto is that if schools close or family members are ill, many caregivers will need to remain at home with their families. And until the virus has mutated into a form that is deadly to people, it is impossible to make an effective vaccine. Unfortunately, no amount of planning will every fully prepare humanity for a disease disaster. Beverly Koppel, Director of Student Health at UNM comments that since no one knows how the disease will act or who will be most affected, “it is planning for the unknown.” This is the first time our government has created disaster planning for a disease, but historian Jo Snider remains pessimistic. “Historically, preparedness planning by government at any level in this country is inefficient, ineffective and largely useless,” says Snider. Koppel agrees that the planning may not be overly useful, but knowing how to keep the lines of communication open during a disease disaster is. Hundreds of people statewide are currently planning on how to keep communication open during a disease crisis. Jessica Snider is a PhD student with the Biology Department of the University of NewMexico. She is studying the ecological role of roots growing into caves. |
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Rio Grande Branch of the American Society for Microbiology |