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PR-04/27/2007: Health Department and Community Partners Put Pandemic Flu Plans to Test

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 27, 2007 San Mateo County Health Department Contact: Beverly Thames, (650) 573-3935 SAN MATEO COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS PUT PANDEMIC FLU PLANS TO TEST IN TABLETOP DRILL SAN MATEO, Calif. -- The San Mateo County Health Department and its community partners will put their pandemic influenza response plans to the test on May 4 during a four-hour tabletop exercise. Participants will respond to a widespread outbreak of pandemic influenza in San Mateo County that at its peak could affect thousands of residents. They will grapple with workforce and supply shortages, school closures, cancellation of public gatherings and limited access to medical care and treatment. "While we do not know how severe the next pandemic will be, this exercise is designed to put maximum stress on systems to identify weaknesses in current plans," said San Mateo County Health Officer Dr. Scott Morrow. More than 300 leaders from local government, members of the business community, health care, schools, and community- and faith-based organizations will participate in the exercise hosted by the San Mateo County Health Department at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Foster City. The meeting room will be divided into the four emergency response regions or zones - north, central, south and coast - as designated by the County Office of Emergency Services. In an effort to foster relationships and to stimulate vigorous discussion, the Health Department is seating one representative from each sector at every table within a zone, creating simulated community. "The goal is to practice, along with our partners, what our response would be and then make refinements to our pandemic flu response plan," said Brian Zamora, Public Health Director. "At the end of the day, the participants should have identified gaps in their plans and should come away with some good ideas for ways to improve them." In May 2006, San Mateo County held a two-day pandemic influenza summit to develop public-private partnerships and build community resilience in the wake of a global epidemic. Day one of the summit was designed for health care professionals. Day two brought together stakeholders to educate them about pandemic influenza and to begin a planning process between the private and public sectors. This tabletop drill is the culmination of the past year's planning efforts. An influenza pandemic is a global outbreak that occurs when a new type of flu surfaces and rapidly spreads from person to person. Three influenza pandemics have occurred during the 20th century, starting with the "Spanish Flu" of 1918-1919, that resulted in more than 500,000 deaths in the United States. Pre-pandemic planning is vital because, unlike a usual flu season, a vaccine may not be available for many months or may only be available in a limited supply. For more information on pandemic influenza and San Mateo County's preparedness plans, go to www.smhealth.org/pandemicflu. # # #