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Emergency Preparedness

Pandemic Influenza

Additional Pandemic Influenza Information

Epidemic

A pandemic is an epidemic that spreads rapidly around the world with high rates of illness and death. Influenza is an infectious respiratory illness. Although people are exposed to different strains of the influenza, or flu virus every year, history has shown that several times each century, entirely new flu strains develop.

Because no one has had a chance to develop immunity to the new flu strain, it can spread rapidly and widely. If the changed virus causes serious illness and easily spreads from person to person, a pandemic can occur.

Pandemics are different than seasonal flu outbreaks.

Seasonal flu outbreaks are caused by small changes in influenza viruses that people have already been exposed to. A new flu vaccine is developed each year to protect people against the expected changes in existing viruses.

That's why annual flu shots are needed and are effective. But since an influenza pandemic is caused by an entirely new strain of flu virus, preparing a vaccine in advance is not as simple as it is for seasonal flu.

Currently there is concern about one strain of Avian influenza (bird flu), known as H5N1, because it is causing severe disease in wild birds, chickens, and other poultry in several continents. In some instances, people who have had close contact with sick poultry have also become infected, some have died. There is concern that H5N1 will be able to change so that it will be easily spread from birds to humans and then from human to human.

The Salt Lake Valley Health Department and the Utah Department of Health and the federal government are actively involved in planning for the possibility of an influenza pandemic.

Learn more about influenza pandemics