Influenza Pandemic: How Prepared is Prepared?

Influenza Pandemic: How Prepared is Prepared? Sruthi Damodara, OMS-II, College of Osteopathic Medicine Kelley L. Davis, Ph.D., Program Director, Disaster and Emergency Management Objective. A study was conducted to determine whether we, as a community, are prepared for an influenza pandemic. Background. The 2009 influenza (H1N1) pandemic has caused concern about the level of preparedness for a future pandemic. It not only affects individuals and communities, but it also increases the strain on our health-care systems and on our economy, making it a public health problem. Due to the ability of the influenza virus to constantly change itself, it’s almost impossible to predict when the next pandemic will occur. This presents a unique challenge when developing influenza preparedness protocols. The goal of this study is to analyze past and current influenza preparedness plans and identify areas for improvement. Methods. Information for this study was gathered from publicly available preparedness plans and peer-reviewed journals. Results. In the past, planning focused on preparing, responding and recovering from a pandemic. Currently, planning is focused on the risk management approach, which emphasizes on prevention and mitigation. Plans also consider multisectoral and multidisciplinary contributions from the government and health-care systems, etc. Apart from this, there were several gaps that should be addressed, which were problematic in the 2009 pandemic. Conclusion. Progress has been made in terms of disease prevention, control and treatment. However, there are still gaps in preparing for a future pandemic that need to be addressed. Grants. No funding was used in this study