Community Response to Influenza

How does an entire community respond to the threat posed by the spread of influenza? That was the subject of a "Community Mitigation" meeting hosted by the Naugatuck Valley Health District last week in Ansonia which brought together community leaders from across the Valley to discuss the issue.

Though not specifically tied to the current H1N1 flu, the meeting drove home the complexity of dealing with similar threats. Presenters discussed the severity of previous pandemics including the 1918-1919 outbreak and more recent, less severe outbreaks. Community mitigation involves efforts undertaken to lessen the impact that a pandemic might have, and that was the thrust of the meeting.

We have already seen some cities in Connecticut having school closures because of students being diagnosed with the flu. On my recent trip to the United Way conference in Detroit, I even noticed several people in the airport wearing masks as a precaustionary measure.

Who decides what actions to take when there is a threat and who enforces those decisions? Is it the health distict, the local mayors, the superintendent of schools, the governor.....? If schools close, should movie theatres also close to lessen the potential spread through large groups of people congreagating together? Should businesses close and/or allow workers to work from home? What are the economic impacts of such decisions? Those are just some of the many questions raised when one has to deal with an issue such as the spread of flu.

Though the session was not designed to come up with all of the answers, it did highlight the importance of communication and coordination. New technologies offer the potential for greater and quicker communication than ever before, yet deciding when and how to use them requires planning and thought. The goal is to inform, but not panic. Just think of what happens at the local supermarket during the winter when weather forecasts predict snow - and milk and bread quickly disappears from grocers' shelves!

It is comforting to know that there are plans and tools in place, and that a great deal of thought has already gone into planning. There is even a Pandemic Severity Index and associated community strategies to be considered based upon the ratings in the severity index. Certainly, the Health District is at the center of these discussions along with many others who need to be involved. It was reassuring to see the Health District convene the meeting and facilitate the discussion in the Valley area.

I can recall a similar meeting in November 2001 at Griffin Hospital to discuss the anthrax scare sweeping the nation. The meeting had been called to discuss the threat and the community response that might be required. Little did anyone in the meeting know that at the very moment of the meeting at the hospital, a 94 year old Oxford woman was already in the hospital being diagnosed with anthrax! Griffin Hospital won high praise and national exposure for their handling of the case.

Meetings such as the one convened by the Health District show that community planning is critical to ensure the best possible community response in the face of major health threats such as the current H1N1 flu situation. They are to be commended for sharing their expertise and concerns.