An avian flu pandemic could emerge in the U.S. in such a way that it quickly becomes pervasive across the country, or it could spread from several areas, thereby limiting the federal government's abilities to respond. In some scenarios community governments and individuals might need to implement federal recommendations and respond to local threats without direct federal support or intervention.
Careful hygiene practices, social distancing, local school and workplace closures, quarantines, and selective administration of existing flu vaccines would likely be the prevalent tools in blunting the spread of a pandemic virus.
These possibilities suggest that now is a good time to develop and hone family and personal emergency plans with public health events in mind.
Individual readiness plans, information, and guidance specific to a public health crisis is available at http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/tab3.html (Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).