Pandemic Preparedness

Be Prepared California

California Department Health Services has launch a new public health preparedness website. Be Prepared California is designed to be the 'go to' online resource to help Cailfornians prepare for and respond to a public health emergency. The website contains valuable information for the public, emergency response partners and the media.

The website is organzied into six sections:

Be Prepared: One-stop shop where visitors can download guidelines, tips and checklists that cover everything they need to know about disaster planning.

Be Informed: Devoted to educating Californians about public health emergencies.

Partners: Provides resources for CDHS' emergency preparedness, partners, including LHD's, health care providers, hospitals and other partners.

Press Room: Access to press releases, fact sheets, resources, and other useful tools for the media.

Resources and Links: Includes links to national and statewide organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services(HHS), and the American Red Cross.

CDHS Programs: Describes the variety of CDHS programs that help California prepare for a disaster.

Pandemic Flu Tool Kit

Contra Costa county Public Health and school officials have created a pandemic flu tool kit for their schools to help them prepare for such an outbreak. At the present, there is no pandemic flu in the United States. People in other countries have been infected with the avian flu (H5N1) virus, also known as bird flu, through close contact with infected poultry. Although avian flu is not spread from person-to-person contact, health officials are concerned avian flu could change into a virus that spreads easily among humans. If this happens, there could become a worldwide pandemic that could kill many people.

At some point, whether it is avian flu or another virus, health experts believe there will be a new virus that spreads easily from person-to-person. Most people won't have immunity and there won't be a vaccine. If that happens, it would drastically change how we live, work and learn so it is vital that we prepare now.

SchoolGuard would like to provide a link to the Pandemic Influenza Response Plan for Schools, as part of ongoing pandemic flu planning efforts at the local, state and federal levels. SchoolGuard is also working with law enforcement agencies and community groups to prepare.

"During a pandemic, schools will play an important role", said Jeannie Goobanoff, SchoolGuard's USDOE grant project Coordinator in Sonoma County.

"This plan will help school administrators, teachers and students understand their role in helping to prevent the spread of disease and how to prepare to cope with large numbers of students and teachers absent," Goobanoff said.

The plan is designed to provide schools with practical tools needed to prepare staff, students and parents for a pandemic flu outbreak, which might require schools to have back-up plans for alternative ways of holding class. The tools include preparedness and planning information, fact sheets on avian flu symptoms, prevention and health care tips, guidelines on when schools might need to be closed and other information.

In addition to the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan The "Pandemic Influenza Alert "was created by Contra Costa County Public Health. This document provides an overview of the appropriate steps schools should take when Pandemic Influenza is suspected or has been identified.

The Pandemic Influenza Toolkit is available for download and use in schools as a tool to educate and inform you of what to look for before, during and after the outbreak of a pandemic.

Pandemic Flu Coordinator by County