An Emergency Communications Plan for an Avian Flu Pandemic - Essay Example

Avian Flu Copyright Although communications is a broad science and an imperfect art, it is impossible to effectively manage a crisis without effective communications. The nature of crises differs and whereas a terrorist related blast or an industrial accident is likely to be a high speed spontaneous event, a public health crisis such as an influenza pandemic can be a relatively slow waiting game that can suddenly escalate. However, emergency or crisis management and communications plans are required to handle all types of incidents and crisis. The avian flu threat that has made itself evident recently as a result of the mutation of the influenza type A virus is a ticking time bomb that needs to be monitored carefully. Avian flu has devastated wildlife species, but although it is difficult for the avian flu virus to transmit itself into humans, mutations of the virus can render this possible. Thus, it is important to have an emergency communications plan for every community that can deal with flu pandemics as local and international health agencies monitor the situation and strive to find answers. This essay presents a discussion about an emergency communications plan for an avian flu pandemic. Declaration I certify that, except where cited in the text, this work is the result of research carried out by the author of this study. _____________________________________________ Name and Signature of Author October 2008 This write - up is presented in fulfilment for the requirements related to a short report on Emergency Communication Plan for Avian Flu. Biographical Sketch Acknowledgements Contents Introduction 1 Emergency Communications Plan for the Avian Flu 3 Conclusion 10 Bibliography / References 12 List of Figures Figure 1: Nine Steps for Crisis Response Communications 4 (This page intentionally blank) Introduction Threats that are generated to humans and animals from highly contagious virus infections are not new. In the years 1918 – 1919, the Spanish influenza flu virus resulted in an estimated 500,000 deaths in the United States of America alone and millions died worldwide. The previously mentioned influenza virus pandemic was followed by the 1957 – 1958 Asian flu pandemic that resulted in 70,000 deaths in the United States of America and another Hong Kong flu pandemic in 1968 – 1969 resulted in about 34,000 United States fatalities. The influenza virus which was responsible for the previously mentioned pandemics had become more resistant by mutating and changing its structure over a period of time. 1 A virus is an ultramicroscopic infectious agent that is neither living nor dead and it replicates itself within the cells of a living host. It consists of a piece of nucleic acid, either DNA or RNA, which is wrapped in a thin coat of protein that can be transmitted from one living organism to another in a number of ways, including being transmitted through droplet infections. Avian influenza, which is often also known as bird flu, is the result of the mutation of the influenza virus into several variants that have adapted to various hosts. Bird flu is similar to swine flu, dog flu, horse flu or human flu and it is caused by the mutated variants of the Influenza type A virus. However adaptation of a virus to a particular species does not mean that the same virus cannot exist in or attack another species. The new avian or bird flu virus that has emerged in Asia and which has been prevalent in the Asian waterfowl has the ability to infect humans and this can be deadly. Thus, the WHO and the CDC are actively monitoring the avian flu virus and trying to ensure that those nations that are likely to be affected have the ability to combat and control this disease. 2 In the United States of America, the previously mentioned virus is said to have been present in chickens for over twenty years, but it was only relatively recently that a virulent strain of the avian flu virus the H5N2 surfaced in Texas. However, the previously mentioned virus was able to be controlled and curtailed using public health measures including decontamination. Avian flu is not easily transmissible to humans. 3 Nevertheless, the threat of a virus outbreak or pandemic is a real threat because of possibilities associated with further mutation and it cannot be ignored. This means that it is important that emergency communication plans for the avian flu virus do exist so that should a noticeable increase in the threat from the avian flu virus is noted, the general public and those who are likely to be under threat can be effectively alerted about what needs to be done. This brief essay presents a discussion about an emergency communications plan for the avian flu. Emergency Communications Plan for the Avian Flu A badly managed crisis in an industry or the result of a negligent act can severely damage a firm’s reputation and future profits. 4 However, poor management of pandemic influenza related communications can result in very many lives being lost. This means that it is important that if a reasonable risk of a virus related incident or a pandemic exists, the public information and education campaign should commence as a matter of priority. Thus, the nine steps for crisis communications response should be as depicted in the figure that has been presented below. Figure 1: Nine Steps for Crisis Response Communications 5 In the figure presented above, the first step towards managing possible emergency communications is to gather the facts associated with the topic of communications and to plan for how communications should be effectively presented. It is important to know if a crisis situation is likely to occur and how this crisis may affect a community. Also, the staffing and resource needs that are likely to be needed for meeting public and media interest should be considered. It is important to clarify facts related to a possible crisis and to gather information from sources. The press and media office should discuss with the experts and to get the facts straight. If a crisis involving a contagious disease is involved, the communications officers should try to ensure that they are able to continue functioning during such a crisis and that any face masks, vaccines or other measures to resist disease are taken. 6 It is appropriate to think who should be notified prior to a crisis and when a crisis is approaching and at what level. Thus, the general practitioners should be notified when a possibility exists that a pandemic crisis is a foreseeable possibility so that they are alerted and can take measures to commence educating their patients and the community, while contributing suggestions from their localities. Law enforcement, emergency services, hospitals, fire departments within the community should be notified about the general threat and what can be done to contain or neutralise this threat. The previously mentioned agencies in the community should also be provided with a telephone number and instructions about how to keep a communications office appraised of any developments that can have an impact on the local status for a crisis. Obviously, it will be proper to maintain a liaison with state and federal agencies that can assist should a crisis situation escalate to higher levels and such agencies in the United States of America include FEMA, FBI, CDC, US Public Health Service and the Department of Defence. Once alerts have been issued to the local community and a liaison has been established with federal and state agencies, the emergency communications office is ready to constantly monitor an evolving situation and to escalate communications when required. Alert communications to the local community agencies such as the Police, hospitals, Wild Life Services or the Fire Services should enable them to formulate their own plans about what to do if confronted with a threat and any instructions or coordination information can also be issued with alerts. 7 The threat of an impending pandemic crisis will require that the local media present informative news items, press releases or informative material to the public. Although the local general practitioners can help within their localities and assist with updating crisis alert status, they cannot reach everybody. Thus, the general public should be presented with information about what the disease is, what measures can be taken to avoid catching the disease, what the symptoms are and what should be done if a suspected victim is identified. Broad and general preventive measures for humans and animals should be communicated to community members through educational items that are presented in the local media and information should also be conveyed about how members of the public can help in combating a community threat. It is important that early education and warning communications with the public should try to maintain trust and to rekindle a community spirit about combating a community problem. The aim is not to create panic, but the information that is presented should be factual and candid so that realistic decisions and actions are possible to be undertaken. 8 Efforts should be made to try to constantly integrate risk analysis with risk management and this should reflect on the content that is being released to the public for their information and action. Also, it is important to try to monitor the public’s beliefs, opinions and knowledge so that these can reflect on what is being presented in the media. It is better not to try to be very reassuring to the public and to report factually. While a health crisis development and evolution is being monitored by the emergency communications office, an attempt should also be made to activate media and Internet monitoring in order to stay informed about what is being said about a possible crisis. Continued efforts should be made to monitor what other agencies including federal health agencies and the Centres for Disease Control or the WHO are saying about developments. Depending on the alert level assigned to a crisis, it may be necessary to operate an emergency communications centre for 8, 12 or 24 hours a day and for 5, 6 or 7 days a week. Priorities should be determined and if the crisis alert is high enough, it may be necessary to maintain redundant communication channels in addition to the primary communication channel for maintaining contact with a number of agencies, the media and the public. The emergency communications office may decide to monitor hospital, Police, Wild Life and Fire radio channels if the threat level for a crisis is sufficiently high and depending on the level of crisis alert additional communication teams may have to be deployed. 9 As the crisis watch continues, a crisis may either escalate or the alert situation may be reduced. While the emergency communications office is monitoring the situation, it is very likely that constant efforts will be made by health agencies to try to find treatment solutions, preventive solutions and solutions to slow the speed of the impending disease spread or methods for enhancing safety by improved decontamination or preventive measures. Depending on the progress that has been made to find solutions and the threat progress from monitoring activities, it will be necessary to constantly release new information to local agencies, the media and the public. If a crisis situation worsens, then it may be necessary to include new community agencies on the alert and action list, such as the voluntary agencies including the scouts or the reservists who may have to be passed specific instructions or tasks. Alternatively, if the crisis situation decreases, it may be required to tone down alerts that have been sent to local agencies and the public with new instructions for readiness and prevention. Specific instructions related to procedures or tasks that need to be carried out may have to be presented and as an example, it may be decided to cull birds in certain areas or to destroy poultry on certain farms that have a high risk of contamination that poses a threat for other animals or humans. Advances in wireless and wired communications make it possible to provide agencies with a variety of communication links. However, the benefits that are available from having an emergency and crisis management website for every community cannot be overestimated. Dynamic content on such website can be readily updated on a constant basis to reflect all information and analysis related to an evolving situation and if this website is hosted on a secure server which can be accessed over the Internet using multiple channels, then it is likely to be possible even for mobile managers and emergency or crisis command personnel to locate and to present new situation reports to the emergency communications centre in real time. Such a website can be programmed to have two or even more levels of access for the public and the emergency crisis command. Hosting servers are immune from human or animal diseases and it is possible to shift a crisis or emergency communications centre rapidly to new locality if a disease threat is detected, while still maintaining constant updating for the emergency website over mobile radio channels. Depending on the size of a community, it may be possible to have a permanent skeleton crisis management and emergency communications team with a team leader and an office. In the event of a crisis threatening a community, a crisis preparedness plan may require designated officers from various community agencies to be shifted to the emergency management and communications command. Crisis simulations and training for fictitious evolving crisis can assist in improving performance and the effectiveness of procedures. Conclusion It is not possible to comprehensively deal with a complete emergency communications plan in a brief essay and even more comprehensive manuals cannot pretend to present comprehensive instruction for crisis situations. However, the evolving nature of a health crisis, such as a flu pandemic, requires constant monitoring, waiting and development based action. Broad guidance has been provided in this brief essay and practicing for simulated crisis is likely to be the best teacher for all those who are involved with emergency crisis communications. However, the availability of web and Internet technology now makes crisis communication a far easier and more manageable task as compared to what it used to be in the past. (This page intentionally blank) Bibliography/ References 1. Centres for Disease Control. Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication. Centres for Disease Control, 2002. October 9, 2008. http://emergency.cdc.gov/cerc/pdf/CERC-SEPT02.pdf 2. Centres for Disease Control. Crisis Emergency Risk Communication by Leaders for Leaders. Centres for Disease Control, 2004. 3. Curtin, Tom et al. Managing a Crisis: A Practical Guide. Palgrave McMillan, 2005. 4. Sfakianos, Jeffrey N. Avian Flu. Chelsea House, 2006. 5. United States Department of Health and Human Services. Avianflu.gov. United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2008. October 9, 2008. http://www.avianflu.gov/ 6. United States Department of Health and Human Services. Communicating in a Crisis: Risk Communications Guidelines for Public Officials. United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2002. 7. World Health Organization. WHO Handbook for Journalists: Influenza Pandemic. World Health Organization, 2005. October 10, 2008. http://www.who.int/csr/don/Handbook_influenza_pandemic_dec05.pdf 8. World Health Organization. WHO Outbreak Communications Guidelines. World Health Organization, 2005. October 10, 2008. http://www.who.int/infectious-disease-news/IDdocs/whocds200528/whocds200528en.pdf Read More