CDC's Dr. Terrence Tumpey, here seen in a Biosafety Level 3 lab, recreated the 1918 influenza virus to investigate what made it so deadly.
Photo by James Gathany, courtesy of CDC.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expects a 40 to 60 percent absentee rate during a flu pandemic. It’s a staggering prediction that the U.S. government takes seriously.

The agencies protecting our nation’s health must function without interruption during a public health crisis. The U.S. president has directed them — and all government agencies — to prepare for the threat of a global outbreak of avian influenza (“bird flu”). His National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza is designed to:

• Stop, slow, or otherwise limit the spread of a pandemic to the United States
• Limit the domestic spread of a pandemic, mitigating disease, suffering, and death
• Sustain infrastructure and mitigate any pandemic’s economic and social impact.

Pandemic preparedness plans take into account data about past pandemics, the evolving virus strain situation worldwide, World Health Organization plans, and the plans of other U.S. government entities. The plans are updated as conditions warrant. CSC is supporting the CDC and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in developing comprehensive, detailed plans to manage the impact of pandemic flu on their operations. CSC also is supporting EPA in developing communications on how to protect and sustain the nation's water infrastructure during a pandemic.

CDC: Maintaining the Ability to Respond

As the CDC’s name suggests, it will be on the front line in controlling and preventing the spread of disease during a pandemic. Its preparedness efforts focus on maintaining the agency’s essential functions during an event of unprecedented magnitude. Because CSC operates CDC’s occupational health clinic, this challenge is very much our concern.

“The public health implications of a global influenza pandemic are potentially overwhelming,” observes Dr. Eli Warnock, CSC’s Medical Director of the CDC Occupational Health Clinic. “Public health agencies such as CDC will play key roles in mitigating the pandemic’s impact, especially on vulnerable populations.”

The key differences between operating during a pandemic vs. other CDC public health emergency responses are the potential for the pandemic to significantly degrade CDC’s own ability to respond, and the extended and uncertain duration of the response.

Advice on CDC staff communications from Dr. Marie Socha, CSC Senior Health Scientist, also applies to other workplaces. “Communication to staff should focus on preparedness both at work and at home. For home, work with your spouse and children to prepare a family emergency plan. Discuss the possibility of staggering work shifts in case someone needs to stay home to address child-care or elder-care. For work, define which jobs are critical or essential to keep your department functioning. Then make sure there are at least two to four people trained as backup for those jobs. This is essential since given the expected absentee range during each wave of the pandemic.”

NIH: Meeting Special Needs, Addressing Evolving Circumstances

CSC’s Dr. Jim Schmitt, Medical Director of NIH’s Occupational Medicine Service, serves on NIH’s senior-level pandemic planning team. He chairs the subcommittee assigned to ensure appropriate planning for employees with special needs and also serves on a subcommittee dealing with antiviral medications, vaccines, public health issues, and epidemiologic surveillance.

“For the NIH plan to be truly comprehensive and useful, it must take into account the special needs of all of its employees,” he says. “Further, the plan should involve a senior steering committee that can use subject matter experts to modify the plan to address evolving circumstances.”

In addition to this work, Dr. Schmitt developed a plan for operating NIH occupational health services during a pandemic. This ensures that CSC will be able to continue critical services without interruption when NIH needs them most.

EPA: Protecting Our Water Infrastructure

CSC also is helping EPA prepare to protect and sustain the nation’s water infrastructure during a pandemic. At EPA's Office of Water/Water Security Division, where we support the agency’s homeland security efforts, we will be developing communications on reducing the threat of exposure among water utility operators.

Learn more about the U.S. government’s preparations for pandemic flu at http://www.pandemicflu.gov/.

For More Information

CSC’s occupational, environmental and public health experts can provide consultation for any government group creating a plan for pandemic flu. Contact us.

Learn more about CSC’s occupational health services for CDC, NIH and other government agencies.

Learn about CSC's global health services.

Contact us and let our experience help you produce results.