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Pandemic Information and Planning

Pandemic Information and Planning

Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC), in accordance with Minnesota State Universities and Colleges (MnSCU) initiatives and in collaboration with state and local agencies, is currently developing a response plan to assist students, faculty and staff on both the Cambridge and Coon Rapids campuses in the event of a pandemic.

The goal of pandemic planning is to map out steps that must be taken, before, during and after a pandemic has local impact. As part of the pandemic plan, ARCC is providing information about a potential pandemic, such as common terms and preparedness planning, as well as resources and frequently asked questions (FAQs) for ARCC employees where more information can be found.

Please refer to this page frequently for updates about pandemic planning and preparations at ARCC.

What is Avian Flu Pandemic?

Avian influenza, sometimes called bird flu, has been featured in the news often lately. The attention is due to the concern of many health experts who believe that a specific type of avian flu virus, currently causing disease in birds, to be a likely source of the next flu pandemic in humans.

Preparedness Planning

• ARCC’s Pandemic Plan
• ARCC’s Emergency Response Plan
  Once complete, planning documentation for a potential pandemic will become part of ARCC’s overall emergency response plan

Common Terms

avian (or bird) flu: Influenza viruses that occur naturally among wild birds. The H5N1 (see below) variant is deadly to domestic fowl and can be transmitted from birds to humans. There is no human immunity and no vaccine is available. A disease occurring suddenly in a community, region or country in numbers clearly in excess of normal.

• H5N1: A variant of avian influenza, which is a type of influenza virulent in birds. It was first identified in Italy in the early 1900s and is now known to exist worldwide.
• HPAI: A highly pathogenic form of avian influenza. Avian flu viruses are classified based upon the severity of the illness and HPAI is extremely infectious among humans. The rapid spread of HPAI, with outbreaks occurring at the same time, is of growing concern for human health as well as for animal health.
• LPAI: A low pathogenic form of avian influenza. Most avian flu strains are classified as LPAI and typically cause little or no clinical signs in infected birds. However, some LPAI virus strains are capable of mutating under field conditions into HPAI viruses.

pandemic: The worldwide outbreak of a disease in numbers clearly in excess of normal.

pandemic flu: A virulent human flu that causes a global outbreak, or pandemic, of serious illness. Because there is little natural immunity, the disease can spread easily from person to person. Currently, there is no pandemic flu.

seasonal (or common) flu: A respiratory illness that can be transmitted person to person. Most people have some immunity, and a vaccine is available.

zoo noses: Diseases that are transferable from animals to humans.

Source: PandemicFlu.gov

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Student/Staff/Faculty Resources

Anoka County
www.co.anoka.mn.us/v2_ready/flu.aspx
General and regionally specific pandemic flu information.

Center for Disease Control
www.cdc.gov/travel/other/avian_influenza_se_asia_2005.htm
Pandemic flu outbreak notification information.

www.cdc.gov/travel/
Access to all avian and pandemic flu information developed and released by the U.S. Government. (Managed by the Department of Health and Human Services.)

Isanti County
http://www.co.isanti.mn.us/emergsrv.htm
Isanti County emergency management services.

Minnesota Department of Health
www.health.state.mn.us/div's/deep/diseases/flu/pandemic/index.html
Information about pandemic flu to assist planning.

Minnesota State Universities and Colleges (Mn SCU)
www.chancellor.mnscu.edu/avian flu/index.html
Information about avian flu pandemic planning, including links to planning documents and resources.

State of Minnesota Department of Employee Relations (DOER) www.doer.state.mn.us/PandemicFlu.htm
DOER planning guide used by State of Minnesota agencies to ensure continuity of critical services during a pandemic.

United States Department of Health and Human Services
www.hsem.state.mn.us/ready minnesota/New _Ready_Web/indivfam.pdf
A guide entitled, “Pandemic Influenza Planning: A Guide for Individuals and Families.”

World Health Organization (WHO)
www.who.int/topics/avian _influenza/en/
Latest avian influenza information.

www.who.int/cs/disease/influenza/pandemic10things/en/index.html
WHO guide entitled: “10 things you need to know about pandemic influenza.”

www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/individual/familyguide.html
WHO guide for individuals and families.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's

View commonly asked questions with answers.

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