FluSurge and FluAid Questions and Answers
One-stop access to U.S. Government avian and pandemic flu information. Managed by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Can FluSurge and FluAid be used to estimate impact on a pediatric facility?
You can use FluSurge to consider plans for pediatric facilities. You may wish to alter the rates of health outcomes. In FluSurge and FluAid, the rates of health outcomes for children are averaged over the entire 0-18 years of age. Please see instructions on how to use FluAid and FluSurge to estimate the impact of next pandemic by using 1968 and 1918 scenarios. The instructions also explain how to alter the rate of outcomes in FluSurge and FluAid.
Can FluSurge and FluAid be used to accurately estimate the impact of H5N1?
Estimates from FluSurge are really illustrations: for a given scenario; therefore, accuracy cannot be guaranteed. FluSurge should be used as a starting point for planning. Given the large number of unknowns for a possible pandemic, any plan has to be flexible.
As of mid May 2006, there is not a human-adapted strain of H5N1. The reported human cases of H5N1 have not been associated with sustained human-to-human transmission, and most of the cases appear to be the result of direct infection from bird to human. Therefore, we do not have any data regarding any aspect related to the potential impact of such a strain in humans. However, you can follow the instructions and alter FluSurge and FluAid outputs to reflect nearly any rates of health outcomes.Page last modified June 13, 2006