I am attending a
PANDEMIC FLU SUMMIT - NEW YORK CITY PREPARE YOUR BUSINESS FOR PANDEMIC - NOW!
It is being held at NBCTV’s studios in Midtown NYC tomorrow all day.
http://www.safeamerica.org/sp_nycsummit.html
If I get a chance i will ask Nabarro a question - what should that question be folks?
“In what specific ways have you and your family prepared at home for a pandemic?”
This looks like a really long question, but I’m putting in all the components for you to consider how to ask it :-)
Southern China, the area surrounding the city of Hong Kong, is said to be the place where most previous pandemics originated, and is still the area where new strains of HP H5N1 are forming as we speak, with progressively increasing virulence towards mammals. Given that Hong Kong is the world’s largest commercial port, handling the biggest daily volume of goods to the rest of the world including the US, what would happen to our supply chain if a pandemic strain starts circulating in southern China tomorrow and 40% of people in Hong Kong stay away from work? How much lead time do we have or how much inventory do we need before the whole of New York or the country come to a grinding halt from supply failures? Are we talking about days or weeks, and how long would that last?
Anon 22 - great question.
Goju- Would you be willing to report back here on what is said at the summit? I’m very interested in the session on the Media and “what it can do”. I’m sure we would all like to hear about your experience if you have time to post about it as many concerns have been raised on the forum about NYC.
Here’s 3 questions. What should we be looking for as to a signal that things are out of control and it’s beginning to spread? Does it look worse than it did last year or better in terms of a possible pandemic from H5N1? Are there other viruses that you are specifically concerned about and what are they?
Goju, I couldn’t resist asking 3.
In your opinion, when do you think the next pandemic will occur?
Why have we seen a increase in cases in Indonesia during the last month and a half?
I would vote for Monotreme’s question #3. The first 2 of his questions may get standard replies something to the effect: “When similar viruses have made the jump to humans the CFR has dropped and since H5N1 is not being transmitted H2H efficiently at the moment, it is too soon to speculate what the CFR will be in a pandemic…” and “History has shown us that flu pandemics are cyclical, so we should be prepared. It may not be H5N1, but it is fair to say that a flu pandimic will happen at some point…”
Maybe if you asked Monotreme’s question number 3 and pointed out that the CFR is currently over 50%, is 3 days worth of supplies a realistic level of preparation.
Even so I suspect you will get something like “Of course we would like to see people preparing for more than 3 days, but the idea is to at least get them in the mindset to make minimal preparations now and then refer them to government-sponsored websites which will more accurately reflect the situation as it evolves…”
Sorry, but I am losing hope that we are going to get any REAL answers from anybody anymore, Nabarro or not. I hope I am wrong.
Okay, well then I might as well put my two cents in.
My question would be…we are well aware that healthcare systems will collapse in a pandemic. We will be on our own to treat our children if they become infected. Given the just in time delivery systems and lack of raw materials for pharmaceuticals in proximity of manufacturing plants…where am I to get supplies of antibiotics, oral electrolyte powders, anti-fever medications and prednisolone after the pandemic has begun and how am I going to get advice from healthcare professionals such as nurses, doctors, pharmacists…
…and please don’t tell me to get the drugs from my doctor or the drug store because it is readily apparent that the requirment for pharmaceuticals will be many multiples of supplies avaliable on Sept 6, 2006.
Considering the audience of corporate executive in your questioning may get more attention and increase the possibility of the question being asked.
Maybe…How can the corporation help the individual prepare to limit the time lost on the job? Or something of that nature.
Individual concerns or rates of infection may not be as important to 250 executives.
Assuming a severe pandemic were to begin in October, what actions should be taken to secure the safety of personnel working on essential systems such as electricity, water and wastewater?
no name – at 22:43
“Considering the audience of corporate executive in your questioning may get more attention and increase the possibility of the question being asked.”
I agree. It is often just as important to use the question to address the audience as well as the speaker. Maybe even more so than the speaker, cos often we can pretty much predict what the answer might be.
:-)
Yikes! Didn’t fix the handle!
This conference is being held at a tv studio, is it to be televised?
What ever question you choose to ask please be sure to hold up a tape player so he can see it—that way he knows he’s being recorded for posterity! Tape the whole thing!
Why dont you invite him to stop by here and chit chat for a while. We will all be on our best behavior. Company manners and all.
Keep em coming folks - i’ll print out the list and take it tomorrow. I suppose my questions will come out of what i hear. I think questions addressed for the audience to hear may be better. If i can influence biz leaders they can make things happen. The people on the podium may just get defensive and give stock answers to which I will respond and someone will have to bail me out of jail.
I’ll report back tomorrow nite.
Good Luck, Goju!!!
Thanks for asking us here, and going, and being willing to report back…it’s awesome!
Tom DVM – at 22:34 Excellent question! This is why I love collective thinking. I will be sure to ask the locals at the PA summit that one next week. Although I honestly dont expect much of an answer.
Anoyed Max-Not mad yet. Thanks /:0)
I have done a lot of thinking about things and if I am right and vaccines and antivirals turn out to be nonfactors…we then have a choice.
1)we can enter the pandemic with the advantages hard won in medicine over the last 100 yrs.
2)We can enter the pandemic with the technology of 1918.
3)We can enter the pandemic with the technology of 1830.
The demand for standard treatments is going to go off the chart in a few weeks…we are talking demand increasing by millions of doses.
If we do not have healthcare that is one thing. If we do not have antibiotics, oral electrolyte powders, anti-fever medications and prednisolone avaliable with back-up advice by phone of internet…
…we are not back to 1918…we will end up back at 1830 before it is over…and I wouldn’t want to be a regulator or a government in that situation…if you know what I mean.
Dr. Nabarro, Is there anyone or anything like a gag order keeping in-the-know scientists from talking about the spread of avian flu among humans in Indonesia? And if not, why isn’t it being presented in the main stream media?
Now, fluwikians, please do not flame me for my question.
Exactly! Personally I have been with this long enough thats its hopefully a non issue for me. But just in case I want someone “in charge” to have thought of this. Could you man a doctor (and some security) at the pharmacies to hand out needed meds till the supply is exhausted? What about our national stockpile of drugs that was supposedly created? When do we get them and where are they going?
I’d like to know what will be his indicators to SIP for his family. When does it “become time” to do so for him?
If it’s for the audience’s benefit (Dr. Nabarro is sure personally welcome to come to The Wiki) I’d probably have to phrase something like, “If local authorities are too concerned about the public’s reaction to tell the public to prepare for a worst-case influenza pandemic, how can employers make sure their essential workers, and, those of other regional businesses or utilities they rely on, are ready to weather a pandemic and have people able to function and re-start the economy afterwards?”
(And, they’d pick someone else’s question… ;-))
I like the second half of crfullmoon – at 11:29′s question:
“How can employers make sure their essential workers, and, those of other regional businesses or utilities they rely on, are ready to weather a pandemic and have people able to function and re-start the economy afterwards?”
Since this conference addresses businesses and their interests are $$$$, I think you’ll have better success referencing employee preparedness = business continuity = less economic impact/fallout from pandemic.
Ocean2 - Great question.
tjclaw1 – at 11:49
Since this conference addresses businesses and their interests are $$$$, I think you’ll have better success referencing employee preparedness = business continuity = less economic impact/fallout from pandemic.
I agree.
And their bottomline, whether their business will collapse as a result of a pandemic. But they won’t know to worry about THAT unless we help them connect the dots.
anon 22. You can bet that business knows about sites like flu wiki…it is their business to know and they don’t operate like our other fixation…governments and regulatory agencies.
Not enough Tom, not enough.
Tom DVM – at 22:34
“My question would be…we are well aware that healthcare systems will collapse in a pandemic. We will be on our own”…snip
It’s refreshing to hear someone come out and say those words. When I say it around here, people (other than those active in healthcare IN hospital settings) look at me like I have 6 eyes.
They think a 48 hour wait in the ER for an inpatient bed is horrible????
HA! Piece of cake compared to what lies ahead…..
Grace. Thanks…but I for one know that you have been saying the same things for as long or longer than me. /:0)
They can keep the other stuff…I just want some drugs to treat and save children…thats all.
If they fall down on this one…they had better get ready to run and it won’t be me that’s chasing them!!
Paging Goju. Come in Goju.
How’d the conference go? Or are you still hobnobbing with the big wigs? ;)
broad stk mkt indexs , not dow, where down hard today……wonder if conference had anything to do with it.
Fantastic meeting Today
I asked many hard questions.
I had a 10 minute One on One sit down with Dr Nabarro
they are all very concerned
I have 6 pages of notes i will post in a day or so.
Stay tuned - It was GOOD - We are the most knowledgable people on the planet.
I shocked them with several of my questions.
/:0)
questions i asked why use CFR of 2.5% when indo has 80% and getting worse what about birds found in US with LPAI Are vax comp researching recombination to predict pandemic strain for vacinne did tami blanket work is it hidding h5n1 cases and generating false negs asked French Health minister what they do at level 4, 5 7 6 (answer pissed of nabarro!)
and the 10 minute talk w/ nabarro
Gju,
Well done! Thank you.
Looking forward to your report!
Goju:
Sounds like you did all the flubies proud! Can’t wait for the blow by blow.
Most interested in his response re: the low path H5N1 in the States.
Way to go Goju!
Anticipating your full post on the discussion- thanks for sharing this with us
Bravo, Goju:)
Wow, Goju! Waiting with anticipation! Kudos to you!
Gojo, Can’t wait to hear all the details! Thanks
Goju, all of the above!
To you and our Flu Wiki: thank you, thank you, thank you. What a gift!
My thanks also Goju.
Closed to maintain Forum speed.