What efforts are health officials in the US making to prepare for a possible bird flu pandemic?

Answer 1

On July 9, 2009, the US Administration held a summit on how to prepare for the upcoming fall flu season with anticipation that there will be continued outbreaks of the Novel H1N1 in addition to the seasonal flu as usual in this time of year. See the government's one stop "Swine Flu" information site at flu.gov for full details. Excerpts from the Health and Human Services news release about the topic are provided below:

"We ask the American people to become actively engaged with their own preparation and prevention. It's a responsibility we all share."

"White House Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined with delegations from 54 states, tribes and territories today at the H1N1 Influenza Preparedness Summit at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., to kick-off the government's nation-wide fall flu preparedness efforts."

"The Obama Administration sent a strong message to the nation today that it is time to start planning and preparing for the fall flu season and the ongoing H1N1 flu outbreak and that the federal government is prepared to commit resources, training, and new tools to help state and local governments and America's families get ready."

"Effectively dealing with a potential H1N1 outbreak requires all of us -- parents, educators, health providers, and local, state and federal governments -- working together on our emergency management plan," said Education Secretary Duncan. "Today's Flu Summit is an important step in that direction. Our primary goals at the Department of Education are the health and well being of students, faculty and staff, and ensuring that, in the event of any school closures, the learning process will continue. "

"Throughout the one-day summit, Administration officials laid out specific ways that states and local governments could start their planning and preparation efforts and announced new programs and resources to help state and local governments, the medical community and every day America prepare for H1N1 and the fall flu season."

"... HHS will make available preparedness grants worth a total of $350 million...the federal government will centralize communications about H1N1 and seasonal flu on ... www.flu.gov... This one-stop comprehensive site... builds on the pandemic planning information... on www.pandemicflu.gov, and incorporates information about the novel H1N1 flu as well as the seasonal flu."

---- ---- FLU RESOURCE KIT FOR PLANNING AND PREPARING FOR FLU SEASON AVAILABLE AT FLU.GOV.

See link in link section below.

The Resource Kit will be regularly updated with new information and tools as more is learned about the H1N1 virus and the upcoming flu season.

(available in English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish versions)

---- === === (Available in 10 languages, see link below) Includes things such as stocking home with over the counter medications (such as cough medicine, fever reducers, anti diarrheal meds, etc), food and water to avoid having to go into public no more often than necessary, prepared foods so no cooking is required while the homemaker is ill, have a supply of prescription meds always on hand, plan for extra caregiver help in case entire family is ill at once, volunteer to help in the community and to help neighbors if they need extra caregivers, learn how to prevent infection and avoid spreading germs, use the forms provided in the kit to document medical history information and emergency contact information, keep good supply of necessary paper products and tissues, a thermometer, garbage bags, cleaning supplies and handwashing soaps and gels, garbage bags, sports drinks, etc.

---- === === === === === === === === HHS is launching a new PSA campaign contest to encourage more Americans to get involved in the nation's flu preparedness efforts by making a 15-second or 30-second PSA. Officials at the summit stressed the idea of "shared responsibility" when it comes to combating the flu and the goal of the new HHS PSA campaign contest is to tap into the nation's creativity to help educate Americans about how to plan for and prevent the spread of H1NI influenza. HHS will evaluate submissions and will present the best PSAs back to the public so everyone can vote on their favorite submission. The winning PSA will receive $2,500 in cash and will appear on national television. Contest details as well more information about the larger effort to plan and prepare for the flu season are available at www.flu.gov.

Answer 2

basically the usa is dealing with h1n1 by giving jabs to make people immune to the disease