localpandemic

Local Pandemic Response: Moving Beyond Traditional Partnerships: 

Local Pandemic Response: Moving Beyond Traditional Partnerships Dale R. Hein, Health Officer/Director Linda Vail Buzas, Assistant Director Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services

Why should we care?: 

Why should we care? In an outbreak situation, the private sector cannot afford for government to fail! Governments are facing crises on all levels—federal, state, & local. In an outbreak, government is going to need the help of the private sector.

Slide3: 

40 years ago U.S. businesses realized they were in the business of health care. Now, multi-national corporations are learning that they are in the business of public health: Supply chains impacted by international public health events Interruptions of global markets & employees travel New business opportunities & risks Rediscovery of Public Health in the 21st Century

Businesses Play Key Roles: 

Businesses Play Key Roles Protect employees’ health Limit negative economic impact Be community leaders Assist with recovery

Businesses Can Help With:: 

Businesses Can Help With: Communication Health and safety Financial stability Continue critical operations Provide healthy work places Provide healthy public transportation alternatives

Pandemic Preparedness Planning: 

Pandemic Preparedness Planning Prioritize essential functions Identify essential personnel Identify essential assets Identify alternate facilities Ensure communications/connectivity

Guidance for Planning: 

Guidance for Planning Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Checklists Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Checklists Ready.gov (Continuity planning) Technical Assistance from Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Get involved with the appropriate subcommittee of the County Pandemic Preparedness Coordinating Committee

Slide8: 

1918 Spanish Flu 500,000 US Deaths, most in a 12-week time span 1957 Asian Flu 70,000 US Deaths 1968 Hong Kong Flu 34,000 US Deaths

Historical Information Applied to Today: 

Historical Information Applied to Today Severe case U.S. (similar to 1918-19) pandemic: affects 90 million people with 2 million deaths Mild case: similar to 1957 & 1968 outbreaks: affects 75 million people with 100,000 deaths Assume no effective vaccine. Many geographic areas affected at the same time

Short Term Impacts: 

Short Term Impacts Severe Case 30% of workers sick in most sectors 2.5% of them die Survivors miss 3 weeks of work Mild Case 25% of workers sick in most sectors 0.1% of them die Survivors miss 4 days of work

Severe case $600 billion (2005$), or 5% of GDP: 

Severe case $600 billion (2005$), or 5% of GDP Mild case $180 billion (2005$), or 1.5% of GDP Applying average worker productivity rates the economical loss is:

1918-like Pandemic Impact on Businesses: 

There will be shortages of essential supplies and services Once the pandemic starts, the public’s needs will escalate rapidly Social distancing efforts may dramatically change hours of operation or close businesses temporarily There may be challenges getting to/from worksites 1918-like Pandemic Impact on Businesses

Slide13: 

1918-like Pandemic Impact on Businesses You will have to cope with the healthcare AND psychological needs of yourself, your family, and your co-workers You will be faced with substantial proportions of the workforce out due to personal illness or caring for ill family members. If your department provides services that will be in demand in this type of crisis, you will have to cope with increased demand despite a reduced workforce and, later, insufficient supplies

Pandemic Impact: 

Pandemic Impact Economic impact of a pandemic on the U.S. will be BIG – somewhere between a mild and severe recession Suggests money spent preventing or containing a pandemic will be well spent !!!

Key Economic Aspects of the SARS Emergency in Toronto: 

Key Economic Aspects of the SARS Emergency in Toronto 12,000 lost jobs Nine city-wide conventions cancelled in Summer 2003 Cost of over $1 billion to the Toronto economy in 2003 alone It took over two years for many of Toronto’s economic indicators to return to their pre- 2003 levels

Key Health Aspects of the SARS Emergency in Toronto: 

Key Health Aspects of the SARS Emergency in Toronto A combination of “old fashioned” public health measures were successful in bringing the epidemic under control Public information regarding personal hygiene and use of masks gowns and gloves Strict isolation; Quarantine measures for as many as 30,000 potentially exposed Closure of certain facilities where transmission was occurring International travel advisories by WHO and CDC 375 suspect or probable cases; 44 deaths in Ontario

The Green Zone: Normal Times: 

The Green Zone: Normal Times Normally, there is distance between these entities because of different goals, agendas, & strategies

The Red Zone: An Emergency: 

The Red Zone: An Emergency Relationships are altered during an emergency—we need to plan for it…now. Persons are more likely to follow quarantine orders Employees get their information through their employers Businesses engage & lead in economic recovery plans

Slide19: 

Example of the Red Zone: SARS in Toronto Divisiveness & panic Toronto experienced a temporary shift increasing social cohesion. Compliance with quarantine directives was substantial. One example of how a culture temporarily changes. More social cohesion 30,000 “voluntary” quarantines over 3 months 27 formal quarantine orders 1 appeal (withdrawn)

A “Tipping Point” for SARS: Leadership in Toronto: 

A “Tipping Point” for SARS: Leadership in Toronto On the day that the large medical convention cancelled in Toronto, the center of leadership shifted: BECAME A health problem for government leaders to solve An economic problem for business leaders to solve

Leadership Lessons Learned: 

Leadership Lessons Learned Fear is worse than the disease, and fear drives fear Plan for increased business leadership Two motivations for business preparedness: corporate responsibility and competitive edge Leadership from the top

Communications Lessons Learned: 

Communications Lessons Learned Leveraging public health credibility and business credibility Dissonance of public officials Anticipate the “Fog of War” Use the “Echo Technique”

Communication: 

Communication 1918: Newspapers Word of Mouth Today: All media Web Businesses Schools Churches National Museum of Health and Medicine, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Slide24: 

Networking Lessons: Government, Businesses, Employees Advantage of early bridge building Diverse businesses draw closer together Cooperation of traditional competitors Employees are listening to their employer Concern about lost wages Grace periods for financial obligations during an emergency

Slide25: 

Air Canada’s Marketing Tools

Slide26: 

Networking Lessons: Government, Businesses, Employees Advantage of early bridge building Diverse businesses draw closer together Cooperation of traditional competitors Employees are listening to their employer Concern about lost wages Grace periods for financial obligations during an emergency

Key Lessons from Toronto: 

Key Lessons from Toronto Business and Public Health need to build bridges with each other before a crisis. Government, Business, and Individuals interact differently in an emergency Lessons from Toronto are readily understandable and are transferable to other settings. PANDEMIC INFLUENZA

Where Are We Now?: 

Where Are We Now? The business community now wants to engage public health in a discussion on pandemic preparedness issues. This is an opportunity to develop relationships and alliances that can be of great value to our communities on other issues.

Connecting the Dots: 

Connecting the Dots Business seeks PH preparedness discussion PH & private sector engage on common preparedness interests Leads to greater understanding and trust on PH issues beyond preparedness New opportunities to develop common PH & business agendas beyond preparedness

Our Commitment to You: 

Our Commitment to You Planning Guidance (Summit materials/ongoing consultation) On-site briefings/employee information sessions Up-To-Date Information via Website: www.kalcounty.com/hcs Ongoing support through partnerships Direct communication networks: Regular updates on current status/activity (flu, bird flu, public health recommendations)

What We Need From You: 

What We Need From You Understand the potential impact Engage in business continuity planning Share resources and capabilities Share information about absenteeism to support tracking of disease Cooperate with social distancing measures Partner with us Know who will provide needed information