| WCC Pandemic Flu Planning Resources | |
Pandemic Flu Planning ResourcesFederal Pandemic Flu Website: www.pandemicflu.gov Community & Faith Based Resource: http://flu.gov/professional/community/cfboguidance.html Wisconsin Pandemic Website: http://pandemic.wisconsin.gov Pandemic Influenza Planning: A Guide for Individuals and Families (PDF)Faith Based Community Checklist (PDF) An important role of the Wisconsin Council of Churches is to partner with public health officials and with member judicatories and congregations as we seek to sustain the health and wholeness of our communities. Over the last 300 years, there have been ten documented flu pandemics, with three in the last century: 1918, 1957 and 1968. While the last two pandemics had relatively minor public health consequences, the 1918 outbreak was deadly. In 2006 a Summit on Pandemic Influenza held by Governor Doyle gathered public health professionals, local, state and federal government officials, business leaders and the religious community for a possible pandemic outbreak of the bird flu. Since then we have become aware of major state, federal and world-wide attempts to prepare for the H1N1 outbreak. Public officials worldwide at all levels of government and healthcare are taking measures of preparedness that include increasing global disease monitoring, assuring adequate stockpiles of vaccines and anti-viral medications, and providing clear and consistent mechanisms to communicate with and educate the public. While planning and preparation must take place at all levels of government and healthcare the most important work happens at the local level, and that’s where the religious community can play an important part. The entire community must be prepared - churches, schools, local health officials, public safety officers, and the like - both to help prevent the spread of the flu and to help manage an outbreak when one occurs.That old question, “What would Jesus do?” would serve us well as we consider our partnership with the public and private sectors to prepare for the next flu pandemic. Every church in the State of Wisconsin has an important role to play. A helpful preparedness tool is "Pandemic Influenza Planning: A Guide for Individuals and Families ," which is available as a PDF file on the Council’s website (above). This 14-page resource from the CDC should be made available to every family in your congregation to help them understand the threat of a pandemic flu outbreak, and to take common sense actions to prepare. A checklist for faith - based communities is also available in PDF format for local congregations and ministries.More information is available on the federal government’s website www.pandemicflu.gov or by calling the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hotline at 1-800-232-4636. See also Wisconsin 's Pandemic Flu Planning webpages at: http://pandemic.wisconsin.gov
|
|