Health Department advises businesses, families to review flu preparedness plans
In Allen County, there have been no confirmed cases of the Influenza A (H1N1)-North American/Human flu (swine flu). Health officials continue to monitor the situation closely and will implement infection control measures as appropriate to the level of risk.
“As with any possible emergency, having a contingency plan is essential,” says Allen County Health Commissioner, Dr. Deborah McMahan. “Now is really the time to make sure that as a family or as an employer, you are prepared.”
“While we may not be able to prevent an outbreak of influenza, we can certainly minimize the negative impact it could have on our community.”
Business plans should address continuity of operations, sick leave policies and other human resource issues that might arise from reductions in staff if people are unable to work due to businesses or schools being closed.
Companies that provide critical infrastructure services, such as power and telecommunications, need to be in continued operation in a crisis and should plan accordingly.
Families should also have a plan for how to deal with child care issues should schools close as well as the possible reduction or loss of income if a person is unable to work. Those plans should also include keeping adequate supplies of emergency food, water and medicines at home.
Retail pharmacies in the area are ready to educate consumers about preparedness and to assist them in putting together a family flu kit, says Mike Sievers with the Northeast Indiana Pharmacy Emergency Planning Group.
A copy of the department's pandemic flu preparedness guide for families is available in several languages at www.fightheflu.org and www.allencountyhealth.com. Additional resources for businesses in planning for a pandemic can be found at www.pandemicflu.gov.
Residents can also call the department's public health hotline at 260-449-7506 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. For this weekend, the hotline will also be active from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Resources
State and Local
Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health
Public hotline: 260-449-7506
www.allencountyhealth.com or www.fighttheflu.org
Allen County Government's Twitter site
Subscribe at www.twitter.com. Choose to follow “allencountyinfo.”
Indiana State Department of Health
Public hotline: 1-877-826-0011
Clinical hotline: 1-866-233-1237
www.statehealth.in.gov
Indiana State Board of Animal Health
317-227-0300 or 877-747-3038
www.boah.in.gov
World/National
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
1-800-CDC-INFO(800-232-4636), or www.cdc.gov/flu/swine
www.Pandemicflu.gov
World Health Organization: www.who.int/en/