From Flu Wiki 2

Forum: County Pandemic Flu Meeting

27 September 2006

Ruth – at 19:54

I just attended a County Pandemic Flu emergency meeting that was organized to prepare the county for a pandemic flu or large emergency situation. I will try and give a summary and some of my own thoughts. First of all there were about 60 people in attendance as well as fire and police officers, and maybe some business people. Panel speakers were Fire Chief, Coordinator of Emergency Management, An Epidemiologist, and American Red Cross Coordinator. They gave some overview as to how areas are declared disaster areas, how city, county, and state need to work in case of a disaster etc. Then the next big chunk of the meeting was talking about a pandemic. The epidemiologist explained the threat is real, don’t know when, probably will occur, etc. Explained about 1918, 1957,1968, we now have new virus, 1 step away from pandemic. I would say that most of what he said, has been discussed at length on Fluwikie. He doesn’t believe that we are overdue, but it will occur. Only two antivirals will work against avian flu, at best we plan to have only enough to serve 25% of the U.S. population. Five companies are working on new technologies for vaccines which should be in use in the next 4–5 years. Explained the difference between regular flu and pandemic flu. Businesses, schools, and communities must plan for this pandemic as well as other emergencies. We are only as prepared as are the communites next to us. It was suggested that all households should have food, water and medication for 30 days, training in home health care, emergency supply of cash, and discuss relocation options,( I think this was in case of a chemical spill or something. ) The Red Cross then asked for people to sign up for volunteer training so they could be available in an emergency. They want people they can count on to step in if there was an emergency. This county area has more than 700,000 people and they felt they needed several thousand volunteers to handle a major crisis or disaster. At the end, I think it was the Fire Chief, made a comment that we won’t discuss isolation or quarantine, we know there are legal aspects to that, but…. Overall very accurate information, very informative. Interesting note, the next day the meeting was written up in the local paper, and there was one mention of the word pandemic flu. It was all about the volunteers that would be needed to help out in an emergency(bio-terrorism attack, natural disaster, or avian flu pandemic). I would say that at least half of the meeting was about the possible pandemic flu. I may e-mail the reported to ask why she chose not to include any of that information.

TRay75at 21:06

I attended a 3 and 1/2 hour conference at Kennedy Hospital in Southern New Jersey today. I have tons of information write up and post later, but bottom line is that the health care system here is taking the threat seriously, is doing what it can to prepare, is looking for public input and action, and acknowledges that a vaccine will not be available in time to save the day for a first and perhaps a second wave. The director of Preparedness for New Jersey, Dr. George DiFerdinando, Jr. spoke at length, and acknowledged he has been monitoring Flu Wiki as well.

I’ll put together a detailed summary and some photos to go to the singtomeohmuse large file server in the next 2 days. Like Goju, I feel extremely concerned, even with the knowledge that TPTB are serious about this. Mention of the ethics of rationing treatment and closing the schools and businesses was met with a lot of audience whispering. They did include David Roissmiller of the Department of Psychiatry on the panel, and he worked to acknowledge that the fearful aspects were justifiable during the discussions. As I said, a lot to write up and distill from 3 and a half hours of audio tape and about 50 photos. I’m too worn out to do it tonight.

JoeDDSat 22:25

Ruth, that meeting sounds like the Lake Co. Illinois meeting I was at last Thursday. I’m the guy who got up and asked the epidemiologist why his numbers didn’t add up. One of his slides had a current CFR of 50%, then the next one had a “worse case scenerio” CFR of 3%, similar to 1918. His response to my question was “Yea I know, but I don’t even want to think about that”. I talked to him afterward for a while. He is a very nice man who is genuinely concerned. This meeting went a lot further than the last one on pan flu and preps. I am in charge of the health and enviormental areas of my village. I’ve been lurking for a year and you drew me out. I appreciate the good science on Fluwiki. We can make a difference.

I’m-workin’-on-it – at 22:35

Welcome JoeDDS – at 22:25, keep speaking up!

tjclaw1 – at 23:33

JoeDDS, glad to hear Lake County is taking this seriously. I’m in Lee County (West of you). I know Lee County is preparing for a mass health emergency, as I have trained for the Strategic National Stockpile mass distribution for our county and panflu was mentioned, but I’m still trying to find out more about our county’s plans for a pandemic. So far I am impressed with the thought and planning they’ve put into this. I was told the Governor is planning to sign a bill for retired nurses to help with a mass health emergency.

JoeDDSat 23:48

tjclaw, Lake County is doing something. They have plans to distribute meds or vaccines at the various polling places. That means only 1–2000 people have to come through each location. Their first plan was to have 5 high schools be the distribution points. That meant 150,000 people mobbing at each place. Not the thing to do for a pan flu situation. They wisely dumped that plan. They also admit that there is no vaccine for 6–9 mos after it starts. I urged Dr Plotkin to also try to get the antiviral stockpile (when there is one) closer to Lake County. The state plans to distribute from Springfield. Most of the firefighters at the meeting looked like they could barely stay awake. TPTB at the county level seem more motivated. They give lip service to the bioterrorism threat probably to keep the grant money coming from the feds. To me they seem more interested in pan flu…..with good reason.

28 September 2006

Gary Near Death Valley – at 00:54

Just returned from a meeting in Tecopa, California. Drove 35 miles to the meeting. Tecopa is a small spot in the road, blink and you will miss it, and the meeting on Pan Flu was put on by Inyo County. In attendence were about 12 people from the Tecopa area, and my wife and I (from Pahrump, NV 35 miles away. This was way out in the desert). Besides the speaker, the county health officer, I was the most knowledgable one at the meeting. Although I did not learn anything new, I was impressed by how much the county was decribing the potenial flu pandemic, and the speaker did say Tecopa was on the end of the food chain, gasoline chain, and every other chain and the community would have to basically take care of themselves. He did not pull any punches and explained the history of avian, what has happened from 2003 up to the present (including todays notice of another cluster of flu in Indonisia) and he gave the impression that he felt that he would be around when the pandemic hits (he is a young 60 like me). Did not give any estimate on the timeline of it arriving but gave plenty of possibilies that it could be tomorrow or a few years and time now to get your house in order. Too bad he could not teach in my county (Nye County in Nevada), and in my town of 35 thousand, as not anything is done here.

Blue – at 03:29
 GNDV- 

 He must of taught you atleast one thing. C’mon…
Goju – at 07:32

The tide is changing.. we are making a difference.

When they talk about “gathering people in centers for vax or antivirals” they need to be stopped dead in their tracks.

They need to be told that will not work and tell them why.

The only thing that will work is SIP

It worked in St. Louis and in Gunnison CO in 1918 - it will work today.

H5N1 is targeting our kids. plain and simple

80% CFR - 80% attacted under 29 years Old. No Vax. Loss of civil liberties in every Panflu Plan. Supply chain will not be able to feed the masses that hit it when TSHTF.

They have to stat prepping now. Wrap it up in prepping for any emergency - that is big w/ the feds now.

But start now - get your local food, hardware and pharmacy managers onboard to talk surge capacity

Edna Mode – at 07:41

Ruth – at 19:54 I may e-mail the reported to ask why she chose not to include any of that information.

Ruth, I would urge you to do so. I have engaged several reporters in discussions about inaccurate reporting. In fact, I’m engaged in an e-mail exchange with our state’s commissioner of health and human services this a.m. about statements he routinely makes to the press and on the state site that H5N1 can only be spread B2H. If we do it diplomatically, it may guide a shift.

Gary Near Death Valley, That’s encouraging that they are speaking more candidly, but I hear you about not learning anything. The Pandemic 101 style presentations I’ve attending and broadcasts I’ve watched impart little or no new info to me. I keep them on my radar just to know what is being disseminated in our communities. That’s worthwhile itself.

Goju – at 07:44

first Town panflu website i have seen - it is good!

http://newcanaanready.org/

tjclaw1 – at 11:42

JoeDDS – at 23:48 When I first volunteered, I thought they’d be using the polling places too, but it was explained to me that it was easier for them to secure one large place and provide security there (State police, county police, local horse association). Plus, local hospitals will have heated tents set up for triage and ambulances waiting to transport sick. Since our county population is only 36,000, this plan seems good. Every problem I brought up, they had thought of and had a solution. All meds will be dispensed from this site, even to nursing homes, prison, etc. The hospital gets their own delivery. The IDOT is responsible for transporting to site, and ISP will provide protection/security.

Our county Emergency Preparedness person gave an interview to the local newspaper last week, and she asked me to be interviewed as well, but they never called me. The article ran on Friday, and she told me this morning she was upset that they didn’t contact me. I was planning on mentioning fluwiki.com.

Most of the people I encounter have their heads in the sand.

Goju – at 11:54

great tjclaw! Glad someone there is on the ball.

JoeDDSat 11:55

tjclaw, good job. More of us need to become proactive. Each county is different of course. We have 700,000. I am nervous about people congregating. At our meeting they mentioned a drive thru where you hang your arm out the window. “Most of the people I encounter have their heads in the sand” You are saying that very politely :).

banshee – at 12:05

JoeDDS – at 11:55, In the past week I posted a news article about a county which was going to use the drive thru method for seasonal flu inoculations. They were doing this specifically as a dry run for a pandemic. It was in NC or PA? Can’t remember…

Also, good job to all those who attended the conferences!

tjclaw1 – at 12:19

JoeDDS, I don’t see how a drive-thru can possibly work. They need to have forms filled out, pharmacists on hand to answer questions and giving dosing instructions, translatorss, etc. We’ll even have a crisis counseling area where we can take people who are having problems (just got a phone call that someone is sick, died, etc.). Here’s how it goes:

A. Public entrance at one end of building where there is a clerical greater and translator. B. Form distribution with clerical form distributor C. Crowd control lines - like Disney lines D. Medical Professional Evaluation Area - outside in Heated tents with ambulances waiting - for triage E. Crisis Counseling Area F. Form Completion Area G. Pharmacist/Medical Questions: Pediatric Dose Education H. Form Review: Clerical Form Reviewers I. Waiting Area J. Clerical Color Caller and Router K. Clerical Router/Gate Keeper to dispensing area L. Medical Dispensing Area: Nursing Staff/Dispensing Personnel M. Pharmacist N. Public Exit

We also will have areas set up for O. Secured Receiving/Maintenance P. Secured Worker Enterance Q. Separate Secured Worker Parking R. Worker Showers/Lockers S. Worker Break Room T. Public Parking/Handicapped Parking with golf carts to transport people with small children/handicapped, elderly, etc.

We’re going to test it on 10/28 with the annual flu clinic (about 1,600). Not quite the real thing, but better than nothing. Then we can find out what works and what doesn’t.

It was really stressed that we want to spot people who have symptoms and quickly get them out to triage, and pull people who “freaking out” to crisis counseling. We will have lots of security personnel roaming, and every job has a different colored smock so we know who is doing what. Supervisors of each area will be connected by radios. Everyone has had their pic taken and security badges are being made. The biggest problem we see is getting workers to the site through traffic for different shifts- if winter, may use snomobiles.

JoeDDSat 12:56

tjclaw, Wow, our county has no where near the organization or people that you do. They are going to have one person from the public health dept at each site - hopefully. The rest are from the villages or volunteers. The thing they don’t want to talk about is that there are not enough antivirals and no vaccine for 6–9mos after it starts. Dr Plotkin did let it slip that vaccine and antivirals will come in small batches, not all at once. Nothing else was said. You and I know that means rationing.

tjclaw1 – at 13:09

JoeDDS, They have even been talking about possibly having to distribute medication in 48–72 hours (Tamiflu blanket?) Other discussions concerned smallpox, terrorist attack, nuclear accident, etc.

Yup, rationing is definitely a probability - that’s why I volunteered. They made it clear that our first priority was making sure our families were prepared and taken care of and that we were more likely to show up if we knew our families were safe and we wouldn’t be exposing them, so it is planned that the volunteers and their immediate household members will receive meds before distribution is announced. We will be contacted and asked if we are available, then told when and where to go get our meds and report for duty.

All this has help relieve my anxiety a bit. Many of the people in charge and volunteers, I have known since I was a child, and they are the people who really care about our little community. My daughter’s school even allowed us to distribute a brochure to all the parents seeking volunteers. They had a meningitis outbreak a few years ago and had to close the school and hold a mass vaccination clinic in the gym.

Grace RN – at 16:33

TRay75 – at 21:06

I wanted to go to that seminar but couldn’t get the time off from work; can you email what you have to me?

puub@comcast.net

NJ Jeeper – at 16:45

banshee – at 12:05 Bucks County Pa is having a tral run this fall to see how a drive thru vaccination would work. They will be giving out this year’s flu shot.

Gary Near Death Valley – at 16:50

Blue – at 03:29 Sorry to dissapoint you, but all the information I have gathered over the last year, was up to the same that he had, up to the cluster that broke out in Indonisia the last few days. He was very pointed to the facts that those on fluwikie also say: Prep, Prep, Prep but he did also explain that where we are located out in the desert area far from any cities, will be totally totally totally on our own and at the end of any FOOD CHAIN, FUEL CHAIN, MEDICAL CHAIN, in other words,,,SOOL. On the other hand, those of us that prep because we are so far out, will be steps ahead of any and most city dwellers that do not do anything, that will rely on gov to take care of them, etc. This meeting was the last one on his agenda as Tecopa was the farthest from his home base but he did say the next round would be teaching people on exactly how to prep for the bird flu and STAY IN PLACE and take care of their own needs. In fact when they have those meetings (I will be notified by email), my wife and I decided that we will go to the town itself (Independence, CA), to attend the first of the meetings, which is about a 6 hour drive and make a mini vacation of it, as the drive goes thru Death Valley, out past Stove Pipe Wells, and past Lone Pine. With that information I will bring back and spread further information to my little neck of the woods.

Bird Guano – at 16:57

Unfortunately in a county near me the “official” presentation is still talking about pigs as a mixing vessel, an attenuated virus, a 2% CFR worst case scenerio, and and emphasis on vaccine distribution by volunteers.

<sigh>

Ruth – at 19:40

JoeDDS. Yes, I was at that meeting. I remember that question and his reply. I attended that meeting to convince myself that I wasn’t crazy. I have taken this thing very seriously, and as has been discussed here, most people just roll their eyes. I thought maybe I had spent too much time on-line, but the meeting confirmed that this is a serious potential crisis. I thought the 30 day supply of food and water was interesting since the CDC says a 2 week supply. American Red Cross says 3 day supply of food and water.

TJclaw1. My understanding was that drive through meant,give me your name, stick out your arm, get a shot and move on. I don’t think they would bother with paperwork or anything. Not enough time. I’m not sure how they can do this without asking medical questions, allergies etc. Maybe they would distribute that on line or something and you bring it with you.

29 September 2006

JoeDDSat 00:43

Ruth, at least there is two of us in Lake Co. that don’t have our head in the sand. Got to go to bed

crfullmoon – at 09:36

Tamiflu blanket? No- I think that is from their “all-hazards”* except Pandemic Influenza scenarios; limited anthrax attack, ect. Most likely they have no antivirals on the shelf, and relying on the feds or state to have some for you and everywhere else that didn’t want to tell the public and get it approved in the budget to stockpile essential maintenance meds, complications meds, ORS, and formula for infants… months worth of PPE forfirst responders, hcw, mortuary workers, ect.

Probably have on hand (backorders for next year or two don’t count -might be resistant to anti-virals by then, anyway,if pandemicholds off) only enough for Tamiflu “kerchief” to knot on a few VIP heads. Dr.Gumby style.

There certainly will be a lot fewer people have to have vaccine for if they have made one 6 to9 months into pandemic. Given current unpreparedness on community and household level. That the feds and state told the locals months ago was their responsibility to work out contingency planning with “stakeholder” sectors in our communities. And they can only code everything, and whisper… wasted time we could have told householdsto keep deep pantries.

“it was easier for them to secure one large place and provide security there” - how is the problem of people being contagious before symptoms, and is everyone keeping their fueltanks topped off? Wouldn’t this be like post-Katrina as far as food, water, and medical care went, adding all areas affected, and won’t be just one strain of pandemicflu to deal with either. How can congregating, or putting peopleon busses to get a shot, not spread disease?

Thanks to all who are attending these meetings,

ask follow-up questions, ask what will happen if this breaks out next month. That’s the plan and citizen preparations that need to get done first.

EMTimat 12:56

The City of Manassas School board appears to have had a pandemic flu presentation at their meeting on September 26th. I wasn’t at the meeting however there is a pdf of the presentation on their website:

http://tinyurl.com/k8tpt

30 September 2006

Goju – at 21:42

I have one question only - When will you close the schools?

What event is the trigger?

I cant stand it when they talk about alerting the health dept about absences. There shouldnt be any absences. Absences = deaths

Why don’t they get that? It is killing the kids!

crfullmoon – at 22:00

Show them the graphs?

Or, is it the kind of people you have to remind that a depopulating event will mean Not as much money for taxes/school, not as many kids left, lose your job, (or, face Outrage -it’s not the “panic”,now, stupid; it is the Outrage during and after you should be trying to avert now by telling people to prep. Now!

(Do plans to keep schools open fall under “failing to provide a safe environment”?) Can the feds or states withold funding for municipalities that haven’t told their citizens to look at pandemicflu.gov, and had their “stakeholder”, contingency planning meetings, with *everyone*?

24 November 2006

Closed - Bronco Bill – at 22:43

Closed to maintain Forum speed.

Retrieved from http://www.fluwikie2.com/index.php?n=Forum.CountyPandemicFluMeeting
Page last modified on November 24, 2006, at 10:43 PM