WHEREAS, the county is responsible for providing regional public health services to the 1.8 million citizens of King County including food service and drinking water inspections, emergency medical services, community health clinics, vaccine distribution, communicable disease control, and emergency preparedness planning.
WHEREAS, influenza pandemics are inevitable and unpredictable outbreaks that can result in a public health emergency with high levels of illness and death, societal disruption, and economic losses; and
WHEREAS, influenza pandemics can severely stress or overwhelm the healthcare delivery system and disrupt the continuity of operations for provision of other essential community services including governmental and businesses functions; and
WHEREAS, planning and coordination between Public Health – Seattle & King County and King County hospitals and healthcare professionals, emergency management agencies, municipal governments, social service agencies and the business community is essential to limit illness and death from pandemic influenza and decrease social disruption and economic losses; and
WHEREAS, pandemic influenza preparedness planning is consistent with other emergency preparedness needs and would be both relevant and applicable in effectively responding to other naturally-occurring disasters as well as non-communicable disease emergencies; and
WHEREAS, RCW 70.05.070 directs the local health officer, acting under the direction of the local board of health, to “control and prevent the spread of any dangerous, contagious or infectious diseases” within
King
County
; and
WHEREAS, the local health officer has the authority to issue orders for community outbreak containment and response that would have wide-ranging effects on hospitals and healthcare organizations, municipal governments, and businesses;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE KING COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH directs Public Health -
Seattle
and
King
County
to coordinate and facilitate pandemic influenza planning and development of response capacity according to federal guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and in collaboration with relevant local and State agencies and stakeholders.
To that end,
King
County
hospitals and other healthcare organizations, municipal governments, social service agencies, businesses, and related professional organizations are asked to engage in pandemic influenza response planning in collaboration with Public Health Seattle & King County. Whenever applicable, influenza preparedness planning should be integrated into existing emergency preparedness and response planning efforts.
