HHS Releases 6th Pandemic Planning Update

# 2639

Periodically the HHS (Department of Health & Human Services) releases an update on where the nation stands in it's pandemic planning.

The last update was released in March of 2008.

Today's update will be the last one under Secretary Leavitt's watch. I've included the opening couple of paragraphs of his remarks, but follow the link to read this document in its entirety.

This update also contains several short embedded video clips on the website version. I've included links to these videos here, for those who choose to download the PDF version.

(PDF - 1.32 MB)

Message from the Secretary
Pandemic Preparedness and Planning
Monitoring and Surveillance
Medical Countermeasures
State and Local Preparedness Planning

Message from the Secretary

A scant 33 months ago, I sent my first message about a race that HHS had just begun. As I said then, it was a race against a fast-moving virulent virus with the potential to cause an influenza pandemic. Since then, we have mobilized experts and resources across the country and around the world. I now send you this final message, as I look back at the unprecedented progress we have made in energizing a national pandemic influenza preparedness movement in those 33 months.

Today, many people mistakenly think influenza pandemics are a thing of the past, but influenza has struck hard in the era of modern medicine – much harder than most people realize. And it will strike again. Pandemics are hard things to talk about. When one discusses them in advance, it sounds alarmist. After a pandemic starts, no matter how much preparation has been done, it will be inadequate.

(continue . . . )