Influenza is a highly contagious viral disease. Pandemics occur because of the ability of the influenza virus to change into new types or strains. People may be immune to some strains of the disease because they have had that strain of influenza in the past or because they have recently received influenza vaccine. However, depending on how much the virus has changed, people may have little or no immunity to the new strain. At its most extreme, a novel and highly contagious strain of the influenza virus can emerge and an influenza pandemic can occur and affect populations around the world.
Within the United States, local and county governments represent the first line of defense against human-made or natural disasters. In the case of a pandemic threat or incident in Oakland County Michigan, the Oakland County Health Division (OCHD) will take the primary lead in both preparing for and responding to the threat. And there is much at stake. Based upon numbers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the impact of an influenza pandemic on the approximately 1.2 million residents of Oakland County could include the following:
- 300,000 persons ill with influenza
- 36,000 persons hospitalized
- 840 deaths
These estimates underscore the need for advanced planning to lessen the impact of a pandemic, and it’s up to George Miller, Commissioner of Public Health, Sara Wade, Public Health Educator, and Phil Bertolini, County CIO, to lead this effort.