Pandemic Influenza Information for Health Professionals
The Official U.S. Government Website for Pandemic Influenza
One-stop access to U.S. Government avian and pandemic flu information. Managed by the Department of Health and Human Services.
On this page:
- Overview
- Quarantine Information
- Professional Guidance
- Infection Control
- Vaccine Information
- Treatment Information
- Prevention & Health Education
- Travel Advice
- Preparedness Tools
- Other Resources
Pandemic Influenza Toolkit
A compilation of resources and information provided to clinicians for their use in discussing Pandemic influenza with patients and providing care in case of spread of this agent to the United States.
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Overview
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Flu Pandemics (historical)
Timeline for human flu pandemics. - Frequently Asked Questions about Pandemic influenza.
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Quarantine Information
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Quarantine Executive Order Information
Questions and Answers on the Executive Order Adding Potentially Pandemic Influenza Viruses to the List of Quarantinable Diseases -
Professional Guidance
- Pandemic Influenza Surveillance<
Pandemic influenza surveillance includes surveillance for influenza viruses (virologic surveillance) and surveillance for influenza-associated illness and deaths (disease surveillance). - Laboratory Diagnostics
Diagnostic testing for pandemic influenza virus may involve a range of laboratory assays, including rapid antigen tests, reversetranscription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), virus isolation, and immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) assays (see Box 1 and Appendix 1). - Healthcare Planning
An influenza pandemic will place a huge burden on the U.S. healthcare system. Published estimates based on extrapolation of the 1957 and 1968 pandemics suggest that there could be 839,000 to 9,625,000 hospitalizations, 18-42 million outpatient visits, and 20-47 million additional illnesses, depending on the attack rate of infection during the pandemic. - Clinical Guidelines
Healthcare providers play an essential role in the detection of an initial case of novel or pandemic influenza in a community. If implemented early, identification and isolation of cases may help slow the spread of influenza within a community. - Community Disease Control and Prevention
The initial response to the emergence of a novel influenza subtype that spreads between people should focus on containing the virus at its source, if feasible, and preventing a pandemic. - Public Health Communications
Strategic communications activities based on scientifically derived risk communications principles are an integral part of a comprehensive public health response before, during, and after an influenza pandemic. - Workforce Support: Psychosocial Considerations and Information Needs
The response to an influenza pandemic will pose substantial physical, personal, social, and emotional challenges to healthcare providers, public health officials, and other emergency responders and essential service workers. -
Infection Control
- Infection Control
The primary strategies for preventing pandemic influenza are the same as those for seasonal influenza: vaccination, early detection and treatment with antiviral medications (as discussed elsewhere in this plan), and the use of infection control measures to prevent transmission during patient care. -
Vaccine Information
- Vaccine Distribution and Use
The initial response to an influenza pandemic will include medical care, community containment and personal protective measures, and targeted use of antiviral drugs. -
Treatment Information
- Anti-Viral Drug Distribution and Use
Drugs with activity against influenza viruses ("antivirals") include the adamantanes amantadine and rimantadine and the neuraminidase inhibitors oseltamivir and zanamivir (see Table 1 and Appendix). -
Prevention & Health Education
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Cover your cough content
Stop the Spread of Germs that Make You and Others Sick! (posters, flyers, etc.) -
Handwashing content
By frequently washing your hands you wash away germs that you have picked up from other people, or from contaminated surfaces, or from animals and animal waste. (posters, flyers, etc.) -
Travel Advice
- Managing Travel-Related Risk of Disease Transmission
The 2003 pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) demonstrated how quickly human respiratory viruses can spread, especially in a world of modern air travel (Appendix 1). -
Preparedness Tools
- Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Tools for Professionals
Includes tools such as FluAid, FluSurge, & Instructions to Estimate the Potential Impact of the Next Pandemic Upon Locale Y - Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Course (CERC)
(696 KB/57 pages)
This is a fast-paced course that gives participants essential knowledge and tools to navigate the harsh realities of communicating to the public, media, partners and stakeholders during an intense public health emergency, including terrorism. -
Other Resources and References
- Influenza Pandemic Preparedness
Emerging Infectious Diseases 2003 Dec;9(12):1645-1648.
In the list of potential bioterrorist agents, influenza would be classified as a category C agent (1). While previous influenza pandemics were naturally occurring events, an influenza pandemic could be started with an intentional release of a deliberately altered influenza strain. - CDC - Influenza (Flu) Avian Flu References
- CDC Clinical Information Service:
1-800-CDC-INFO Contact Center or coca@cdc.gov - Flyer: About CDC Clinical Information Services
- Clinician Feedback Form