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New Mexico lays out swine flu emergency plan

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posted on Apr, 30 2009 @ 05:38 AM
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When you read this story keep in mind we are a relatively small state, population wise and what most would consider rural

What’s the worst case scenario if the swine flu runs rampant here in New Mexico? The state says it already has a plan in place, and that plan includes some frightening predictions
It's hard to fathom 20,000 to 25,000 people dying in New Mexico from swine flu, and it's difficult to believe that more than 500,000 New Mexicans could end up catching it. But that grim outlook is possible under a worse case scenario, according to the state's pandemic influenza emergency operations plan.

In the report, if swine flu were to turn into a pandemic and reach the level of the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak that killed tens of millions of people worldwide, about 600,000 New Mexicans would get the virus. That's about 30 percent of the state's population. Of those people, about half would need medical care at home, 10,000 to 50,000 would be hospitalized, and there would likely be more than 20,000 deaths.

The report notes that the state's hospitals would be overwhelmed, and it would tie up forensic investigators, morgues and mortuaries.

"There's an infinite array of possibilities. We take things one step at a time based on actual facts on the ground," said New Mexico Health Secretary Dr. Alfred Vigil.

According to the report, the initial pandemic would last eight to 17 weeks, followed by a series of waves. Those waves would last weeks to months, for up to two years after the outbreak.

Dr. Vigil says while that outlook is scary, it's not likely. He says a lot has changed since 1918.

“I think how people behave, how quickly we get medications to them, including anti-viral medications that were not available to them in 1918, and also proximity to healthcare would have a lot to do with that," Dr. Vigil said.

Dr. Vigil says the federal government has been stockpiling anti-viral medications for years. He says if cases do start to pop up in New Mexico, the state would initially get more than 300,000 doses sent in. That’s more than other states since New Mexico is on the border with Mexico.

Source



posted on Apr, 30 2009 @ 05:54 AM
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I scored big time... when I searched for just what my states Pandemic plan was I found this listing of all the States Pandemic response plans... click the link to see what you might be in store for if worse comes to worse...

State by state listing of Pandemic action plans



posted on Apr, 30 2009 @ 06:40 AM
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Here's a little tidbit from our states action plan in the event they make it official and call it a pandemic...



Pandemic
o Response actions related to quarantine and isolation will be in accordance with the
NMDOH EOP Quarantine Annex and NMDOH EOP Pandemic Influenza Emergency
Response, Appendix 2, Attachment 8: Disease Control and Prevention
o NMDOH will recommend the use of control measures such as individual contact
tracing and quarantine as feasible and practical, depending upon the epidemiology
of the pandemic.
o NMDOH will recommend the use of social-distancing measures individually, and
within groups and communities.
o NMDOH will consider implementation of community-based containment measures,
including closure of public buildings, cancellation of school and public events,
depending upon the epidemiologic intelligence related to the pandemic.
8. Travel-related Disease Transmission and US-Mexico Border Crossing
Interpandemic
o NMDOH will develop protocols for managing ill arriving passengers identified by
airlines and other interstate transportation services, in collaboration with the New
Mexico Department of Public Safety, NM State Police, other law enforcement
authorities, quarantine officers, statewide airport and transportation officials, and
other partners
NMDOH Emergency Operations Plan – Appendix 2: Pandemic Influenza Emergency Response
10 March 2006
Page 15 of 23
o NMDOH will assist the New Mexico Department of Agriculture concerning the
prevention of importation of infected birds and animals.
o NMDOH will develop memoranda of agreements with appropriate hospitals to
manage suspected influenza patients entering New Mexico
o NMDOH will establish agreements with emergency medical services and protocols
for transport of patients to hospitals for isolation and evaluation.
o NMDOH and its partners will identify quarantine facilities for housing passengers,
crew, emergency workers and any other persons who may have been exposed to an
ill traveler.
o NMDOH and its partners, including sovereign American Indian populations and
Mexico will establish protocols to restrict travel within the borders of the State during
a pandemic.
o NMDOH will engage first responders, health care providers, legal authorities, CDC
and other national and international groups to encourage pandemic influenza
planning and response coordination, with an emphasis on the inclusion of Texas and
Chihuahua.
o NMDOH will conduct and participate in exercises and drills along the NM US-Mexico
Border relating to pandemic influenza response.


What their saying is they close everything down highways airports business schools... everything including our border with Mexico... all we need is WHO to raise the alert level to 6



posted on Apr, 30 2009 @ 10:16 AM
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Some other links your find helpful

First the CDC has setup a caregivers info site
Please note the CDC has renamed Swine flu (S-OIV) Swine-Origin Influenza Virus:CDC Swine flu site

Another useful site comes from the US department of Defense
Pandemic Influenza watchboard also post info and Interim Guidance Documents for Clinician, Health Care Providers and Public Health Emergency Officers.
DoD Watchboard




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