Community Preparedness and Response

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Community Preparedness and Response

• Meaghan Cunningham, MPH
• City of St. Louis
• Department of Health

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DOH Planning Assumptions

• Susceptibility will be universal
• Clinical disease attack rate 30
• Highest rate most likely among school-aged
  children(40)
• Asymptomatic individuals
• 50 of ill will seek outpatient medical care
• Typical incubation period 2 days

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DOH Planning Assumptions, continued

• Outbreaks will occur at the same time across
  communities in the U.S.
• On average, infected persons will infect 2 other
  people
• A pandemic outbreak will last 6-8 weeks
• No vaccine for 6-8 months
• Residents will be asked to stay in their homes
  for a significant amount of time

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Pandemic Severity Index
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Pandemic Planning

• Preparedness
• Response
• Sustainment
• Recovery

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Preparedness

• Public Health Education
• Business Continuity Planning
• Antiviral/Vaccine Distribution

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Public Health Education
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Business Continuity Planning
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Continuity of Operations (COOP)

• Identify essential services
• Cross-train
• Establish lines of communication
• Healthy environment
• Personal preparedness

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Antiviral/Vaccine Distribution

• Distribution based on predetermined priority
  groups
• Distribution partners include hospital pharmacies
  and healthcare providers

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Response

• Surveillance
• Risk Communication
• Community Mitigation Strategies

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Surveillance

• Passive surveillance systems
• Reportable diseases
• Sentinel Provider Network
• Active surveillance systems
• ESSENCE
• Local active surveillance systems

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Risk Communication

• Goals
• To gain public confidence by providing
  information that is accurate, timely, and
  relevant
• To meet the needs of the news media
• To coordinate with other agencies involved in
  response efforts
• To prevent public panic
• To direct public action

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Community Mitigation Strategies

• Isolate the ill
• Voluntary quarantine the exposed
• School dismissals
• Use of social distancing measures
• Cancel public gatherings
• Recommend social distancing in the workplace
• Practice healthy hygiene habits
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)

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School Dismissals

• DHSS Goal To keep schools open and safe whenever
  possible
• Trigger points
• Student absenteeism
• Teacher/staff absenteeism
• To protect the public health and safety
• Key issues daycare, source of meals, alternative
  education

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Sustainment

• Limiting the spread of disease
• Maintenance of essential services
• Clinical guidelines and disease management
• Antiviral Medication
• Vaccine

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Planning for Mass Fatalities

• Medical Examiner
• Local Public Health
• First Responder community
• Funeral directors
• Local healthcare facilities
• Local religious groups

• Funerals and religious services may be suspended
• Mental health issues

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Recovery

• Pandemic will come in waves lasting 6 to 8 weeks
  for 1 to 2 years
• Adjustments to response plan will be determined
  by the Commissioner and Director

1920 Flappers Party
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Challenges

• Personal Preparedness
• Reaching vulnerable populations
• Supporting those isolated or quarantined at home

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What can you do?

• Be the eyes and ears of public health
• Spread the message to your members
• Establish your continuity of operations plans
• Begin coordinating response efforts now

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Consider this

• Any community that fails to prepare with the
  expectation that the federal government will, at
  the last moment, be able to come to the rescue
  will be tragically wrong.
• -Michael Leavitt, Secretary, U.S.
  Department of Health and Human Services

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Questions?