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News and Updates

H1N1 Influenza Upgraded to Pandemic Phase 6

(June 11, 2009)

Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) has elevated the H1N1 Influenza Pandemic Alert Status to Phase 6, which indicates sustained community level outbreaks and continued spread.  While this shift to Phase 6 indicates that the H1N1 Influenza spread is now considered a full Pandemic Influenza, the steps recommended to minimize spread and manage disease remain the same. Since the H1N1 influenza virus emerged in April, the eventual move to a Level 6 has been anticipated and is not a surprise.

As reported by Dr. Chan in a WHO Press Conference at 12:00 noon on June 11th:

  • It has been 41 years since the last Influenza Pandemic
  • The current Influenza Pandemic represents the first time in history that the world has identified, monitored, and prepared for a pandemic so early in its evolution. We are more prepared to deal with pandemic influenza than at any time in the past.
  • Despite elevation to a Pandemic, the H1N1 influenza remains a mild disease, with mortality rates resembling those of seasonal influenza
  • Deaths from H1N1, while relatively low for a pandemic, are of interest in that one-third to one-half of those who have died were considered previously healthy adults between the ages of 30 and 50 (as compared to seasonal influenza deaths that occur most often in patients who are elderly and with co-morbid conditions)
  • Concern does exist, despite the mildness of this disease and currently low mortality rates, because:
    • We don’t know how this virus will behave in developing countries;
    • “The virus writes the rules, and this virus, like any influenza virus, can change the rules at any time.”

Historical pandemics have demonstrated that influenza can cause waves of infection lasting 6 to 12 weeks per wave, and subsequent waves can be less or more virulent. In other words, influenza virus is unpredictable and can change at virtually any time into a more mild or severe disease.

The bottom line:

  • Stay tuned to updates and guidance from the CDC at www.pandemicflu.gov
  • Establish a pandemic preparedness plan for your family as well as your home infusion business
  • If you haven't already done so, become involved in local pandemic preparedness activities; pandemic flus are managed at the local level
  • Stay vigilant for signs and symptoms of pandemic flu in your local community

H1N1 Influenza A- A New Name for the “Swine Flu” Outbreak, Currently at Pandemic Phase 5

(May 1, 2009)

Since the threat of pandemic flu entered the national consciousness in 2003 with reports of human deaths from avian influenza H5N1, preparations for the next “pandemic” have been underway. With focus on H5N1, the world was somewhat taken by surprise in early April with a new pandemic threat—H1N1 Influenza A, a swine-origin virus believed to have originated in Mexico in March of 2009.

In the past week, a great deal of information, updates, and guidance documents have been released in the lay press as well as through government-sponsored websites, in an effort to keep both the healthcare community and public well-informed about the current influenza outbreak and the steps needed to minimize its impact on human health.

The purpose of this update is to provide NHIA members with links to educational materials and guidance documents at the government-sponsored websites that are of specific relevance to the alternate site infusion provider. Please note that this information is being updated daily (and sometimes several times within a day) at the government-sponsored website www.pandemicflu.gov, which is the best source for the most current information regarding the H1N1 Influenza A outbreak.

Pandemic Influenza Toolkit: This is a comprehensive resource available from the CDC, that addresses a wide range of topics for the healthcare professional regarding pandemic flu preparation.

Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs)
 The FDA has made available to public health and medical personnel important diagnostic and therapeutic tools to identify and respond to the swine flu virus under certain circumstances. On April 27, 2009, the FDA issued EUAs for the use of:

Pandemic Preparation Checklists
A wide variety of checklists are available at the pandemicflu.gov website to assist with many aspects of pandemic preparations, including:

Pandemic Preparation Guidelines

Respiratory Protection During a Pandemic
Surgical masks do not protect the wearer from exposure to influenza viruses. N-95 respirator masks can offer protection from the influenza virus when appropriately fitted and worn according to recommended guidelines:

As additional resources become available, links will be posted to this website.