A recent survey of American adults found that 76% worried about becoming ill if they had to stay home and take care of the sick during a severe flu pandemic.1
During the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, the eBook was made available for free download. Over 4000 people worldwide downloaded the eBook for personal use. Now Pandemic Home Care is charging a small fee for the book ($4.95). We have made the online ordering easier to complete quickly. Click here to begin your order.
This has been a busy year for the Pandemic Home Care Team. We have had visitors to the website from all over the world. Almost 4500 people downloaded the eBook. We have had positive reviews from many health professionals and from the public. We will continue to update the website as needed. The eBook will be available for a small fee.
updated 05.19.2010
One Year Later....Pandemic H1N1, 2009
The World Health Organization (WHO) has begun a review of the global response to Pandemic H1N1, 2009. Experts in infectious disease and public health will assess the functioning of the International Health Regulations, the "ongoing global response to H1N1" and "lessons learned" in an effort to "strengthen preparedness and response to future pandemics and public health emergencies." Although the focus for the evaluation is likely to center on agency responses, another important issue is the ongoing communication with the public. The current model used worldwide has been "risk communication" where organizations give small pieces of information to the public as new events unfold. This does very little to promote in-depth understanding of complex events. In addition, risk communication strategies are not adequate in countering rumors and inaccurate information available to the public. We continue to advocate for in-depth public health education about influenza illness including prevention information and accurate information about mild, moderate and severe influenza illness.
The National Web Conference scheduled for spring 2010 has been cancelled due to a lack of funding. The conference goal was to present effective models of communication for strengthening community resilience during pandemic influenza. A resilient community effectively uses all available resources reducing the burden on the health care system.
We are fortunate to have nationally known experts in infectious disease, public health, business, nursing education and clinical practice on our Advisory Board.
Pandemic Flu Home Care featured on current blog discussions
The eBook "Pandemic Flu Home Care: A Detailed Guide for Caring for the Ill at Home" has been featured on numerous blogs and websites. They include:
We will continue to post regular updates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the H1N1 swine flu pandemic. The RSS feed below is from CDC.
We are now in the process of applying for non-profit status so that we can write grants for program funding and expansion. We hope to collaborate with other organizations in the near future to create illustrations for the entire book, create DVDs and other learning materials and modify the content for specific groups.
A Love Lost, PDF
The fotonovela is a tool to help facilitate a discussion of the importance of influenza vaccination among pregnant women. The fotonovela is available in Spanish and English (bilingual).
Evaluation and Capacity Review Tools
This page contains evaluation and capacity review tools for use by CDC international partners and collaborating countries participating in influenza surveillance, laboratory testing, and pandemic preparedness and response activities.
Health Alert Network (HAN)
CDC issued a HAN to notify clinicians and CDC partners that updated CDC guidance regarding the use of Influenza Antiviral Agents and Rapid Diagnostic Tests for the 2010-2011 season is now available from the CDC website.
National Influenza Vaccination Disparities Partnership
The National Influenza Vaccination Disparities Partnership (NIVDP) is a national multi-sector campaign, spearheaded by local influential partners who commit to promote the importance of flu vaccination among underserved populations. Collaborations are building at a fast rate with over 100 partners committed to the cause and spreading the word about flu vaccination.
National Influenza Vaccination Week: Free NIVW Web Tools
CDC will be supporting organizations across the country in their vaccination efforts during National Influenza Vaccination Week. There are podcasts, ecards and other e-health activities to support this effort. You can help in promoting the ongoing flu vaccine efforts by placing these graphics on your web pages.
National Influenza Vaccination Week:Submit Your Plans
National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is a national observance that was established to highlight the importance of continuing influenza vaccination, as well as fostering greater use of flu vaccine after the holiday season into January and beyond. NIVW 2011-2012 is scheduled for December 4-10, 2011.
Prevention and Control of Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2011
This document provides updated guidance for the use of influenza vaccines in the United States for the 2011-12 influenza season. Vaccination of all persons aged 6 months or older continues to be recommended. Although influenza vaccine strains for the 2011-12 season are unchanged from those for the 2010-11 season, annual vaccination is recommended even for those who received the vaccine for the previous season.
Seasonal Flu Materials for Refugees
Four seasonal flu documents were developed as a result of focus groups and educational sessions conducted with refugees in their native languages. The materials are designed to improve knowledge of seasonal flu in refugee populations; thus they are written in the native languages of refugee populations commonly resettled in the United States. All four documents are tailored for low literacy populations by using minimal text and using visual cues to portray seasonal flu information.
Seasonal Flu: International Situation Update
This report is a summary of key influenza-related updates created from regional World Health Organization (WHO) reports, country reports, CDC field staff updates, and other sources. Updates are listed by region.
UPDATED Guidance for the Prevention and Control of Influenza in the Peri- and Postpartum Settings
This guidance highlights some of the important recommendations contained in Prevention Strategies for Seasonal Influenza in Health Care Settings as well as supplemental strategies specific to hospitalized pregnant, intrapartum, and postpartum women and their newborns during the birth hospitalization.
UPDATED: 2011-2012 Flu Season
This page provides information about the 2011-2012 influenza season, including information about the season's vaccines, vaccination recommendations and disease activity.
UPDATED: Influenza Vaccination Coverage
Influenza vaccination coverage for the United States is estimated annually by CDC utilizing data from several nationally representative surveys. For the 2010-11 influenza season, additional assessment systems have been developed to provide timely coverage estimates for selected populations.
UPDATED: The Flu Season
Summary of peak flu activity for the United States by month for the 1976-77 through 2010-11 flu seasons as well as information on the U.S. influenza surveillance system.
Un Amor Perdido, PDF
La fotonovela es una herramienta para ayudar a facilitar una conversación sobre la importancia de la vacunación contra la influenza en mujeres embarazadas. La fotonovela esta en ingles y español (bilingue).
Who Should Get Vaccinated Against Influenza
This page provides a complete list of all groups recommended for flu vaccination, as well as the populations not recommended for TIV (flu shot) and/or LAIV (nasal spray).
