Bird Flu Thread

[Cookiely]

I'm not sure if this link has been posted before. Its from a physician and concerns supplies needed and how to take care of a patient at home. I printed it out for myself to have on hand. Sorry about the long link. I know their is a way to shorten it but I'm not sure how. My computer knowledge is in its infancy.
http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/file ... ct2005.pdf

[Jack8631]

This is from one of my customers ( a Fortune 500 company). They are taking the pandemic threat serious enough to ask their suppliers to have a contingency plan.

May 26, 2006

Dear Supplier,

The potential for a significant business disruption due to an Avian flu (H5N1) pandemic has become a matter of concern over the last several months. The virus does not today have the capability of being passed from human to human, and no one has been able to predict with certainty whether the virus will actually attain that capability. Nevertheless, because the consequences that might follow such a development are so severe, the World Health Organization, the governments of all UN Member Nations and *** are taking this potential risk seriously.

We are developing plans and preparing our organization for a potential Influenza outbreak. As a key supplier to ***, you are a vital part of our overall ability to ensure a continuity of supply to our customers. Therefore, we ask that your company provide *** confirmation that you have a plan in place to avert significant potential disruption resulting from a flu outbreak. Please send this to the attention of ***

Attached to this letter is an example of flu preparedness, a response plan, and a helpful planning checklist. As you discuss this with your management and your employees, you will note that there is much to be done to get ready for a potential outbreak. This letter is not meant to be an all-inclusive plan and will need to be adapted to your company’s needs. At the end of the letter, you will find links to websites that can provide additional information. We encourage you to use the information found at these sites to help you develop an appropriate plan.

Please note that merely having a plan does not mean that a company is prepared for a pandemic. As you can see from the web site information there is much involved to really become prepared. Many governments say that companies should not rely on them to provide the answers or to help them develop plans to protect employees and their families. This is why we are taking our planning and preparation work very seriously. We need your help too. At a minimum, we ask that you consider the following items:



Preparedness and Communication

The best way to prepare for and lessen the impact of an influenza outbreak is to focus on improving hygiene practices. We recommend that facilities provide communication and training to employees regarding hygiene practices to prevent the spread of infection. These include but are not limited to:

Washing hands frequently with soap and hot water, especially following food preparation and after trips to the washrooms or bathrooms
Treating hands regularly with waterless, alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Covering the mouth when sneezing or coughing
Avoiding live animal markets and poultry and pig farms in affected cities, countries or regions
Avoiding sick or dead birds
Avoiding touching surfaces that may be contaminated
Monitoring body for symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, etc. if in an affected city, area, country or region
Obtaining a seasonal flu vaccination where possible
Avoiding sharing of drinking cups or utensils
Disposing of tissues, paper towels, masks and other disposables in covered containers
Considering the implementation of guidelines requiring employees to wear gloves if they have daily contact with other co-workers or share tools, equipment or parts
Using disposable drinking cups
Following careful food preparation guidelines that include separating raw meats from cooked or ready-to-eat foods and washing hands after handling raw meat and prior to touching or eating cooked foods

Before the Bird Flu progresses to the worst-case scenario we further recommend that you secure and train employees to use the following supplies:

N-95 masks
Disposable latex or vinyl gloves
Bleach
Waterless, alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Trash cans with covers or lids
Personal thermometers
Disposable drinking cups


Surveillance and Detection

We recommend that you establish a regular bird flu monitoring protocol. The protocol would be managed and implemented by a coordinator. The coordinator has primary responsibility for monitoring the status of avian flu in the city or region where the plant is located. The coordinator should be able to answer questions about prevention and mitigation activities. We recommend that every supplier appoint a primary and a back-up coordinator.

Response and Containment

We request that you establish a response and containment plan. It should address the following:

Triggers for implementing travel and visitor restrictions
Cleaning and disinfecting protocols in affected areas
Criteria for taking mandatory sick leave and for quarantine as appropriate
Alternate work force or manufacturing contingency plans
Work-from-home plans and triggers for anyone not infected

During an outbreak, it will be critical that persons with the disease be kept separate from those who do not have the disease.

Summary

We appreciate your attention to these important issues. We request you confirm, via return e-mail, that you have a plan in place. Please send the confirmation to ***.

Thank You.

[Yarrah]

Ack, H5N1 has reached Europe again. But it's not just a singe swan or another wild animal now, it's an entire farm.

H5N1 confirmed in the UK

[vbhoutex]

Ack, H5N1 has reached Europe again. But it's not just a singe swan or another wild animal now, it's an entire farm.

H5N1 confirmed in the UK

This is not good. Hope they can contain it!!