HHS issues draft preparedness, response plan for flu pandemic -AND- Vaccine glitch not expected to delay start of flu vaccination campaign

CAL/AAEM News Service calaaem_news at yahoo.com
Thu Sep 9 22:00:05 PDT 2004


HHS issues draft preparedness, response plan for flu pandemic

August 26, 2004


The Department of Health and Human Services today released for public comment a
draft national strategy for preparing and responding to a flu pandemic. The
plan outlines action steps to be taken at the national, state and local level,
including suggestions for hospitals and other health care providers. Topics
include coordination and surveillance activities, triage and clinical
evaluation of patients, availability of staffing and other inpatient resources,
training and communications, distribution of vaccine and antiviral medications,
infection control, and care at non-traditional sites.

For more information go to: http://www.hhs.gov/nvpo/pandemicplan/

Source: AHA News Now (www.ahanews.com)


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Vaccine glitch not expected to delay start of flu vaccination campaign

August 27, 2004

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not expect production
problems reported by a maker of this year's flu vaccine to prevent anyone who
wants to from being immunized, though delivery of the vaccine to some local
clinics may be delayed, CDC Director Julie Gerberding, M.D., said at a news
briefing today. Chiron Corp., which is scheduled to produce about half of the
more than 100 million doses of flu vaccine planned for use in the U.S. this flu
season, yesterday announced it had identified a "small number" of batches that
did not meet product sterility specifications. The company said it has delayed
releasing any doses until it completes its investigation and testing, and
currently expects to release the vaccine in early October, when local
vaccination campaigns typically start. Gerberding said CDC will update health
care providers on when they can expect vaccine delivery in their communities
and continues to recommend that all high-risk groups, including health care
workers, be vaccinated as early as possible.

Source: AHA News Now (www.ahanews.com)



=====
Cyrus Shahpar & Brian Potts 
Managing Editors, CAL/AAEM News Service 
UC-Irvine



		
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