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Pandemic Flu Questions Answered by CDC Director
 Nov.
1, 2005 - Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director, Centers for Disease Control,
answers questions about the possible flu pandemic after President Bush
outlines his strategy for the war on the pandemic.
Dr. Julie Gerberding
I appreciate the opportunity to answer your questions today about one of
the most important public health issues we face today and that is the
threat of global outbreak of influenza commonly referred to as a
pandemic. Many of you are learning more and more about the outbreak of
H5N1 influenza in birds in Asia. This is still primarily a disease among
animals and not people and we simply can’t say whether this virus will
emerge to cause a pandemic in humans. But we must be prepared and the
strategy the President discussed today is a huge step in the right
direction to help get us better prepared. Let's get started with your
questions.
Nicole, from Seattle writes:
What is our country doing to be prepared for the possible outbreak?
Dr. Julie Gerberding
Thanks for your question, Nicole. Point number one is that right now our
main focus is seasonal flu which is here and we are, of course, as
always encouraging people to receive influenza vaccines for that
condition. The potential for a pandemic influenza related to avian
influenza in Asia is something that is also of high priority for
preparedness.
This morning, at the National Institutes of Health,
the President outlined three main things we are doing to prepare for a
pandemic. Number one, we are investing in our abilities to detect
emerging pandemic influenza wherever it occurs. Number two, we’re
investing in the development of vaccines and anti-viral drugs so that
all Americans can be protected from that problem. Number three, we’re
working with people, families, local and state governments, as well as
the federal government to ensure that we have a seamless network of
protection for everyone in our country.
Sarah, from Texas writes:
Dr. Gerberding-My question is do you really think there is a serious
threat of avian flu in the United States, and if so what will be the
best way to prevent and treat it? Thank you.
Dr. Julie Gerberding
Right now, the H5N1 avian flu is primarily a problem for birds. It is
not a pandemic and there is no evidence at the current time that it will
ever be a pandemic but we have to be prepared. It’s possible that this
virus, which has only occasionally infected people with high mortality
rates, could evolve to become more contagious and that is why we are
really scaling up our efforts to be prepared.
Guo, from China writes:
We have had several bird flu cases in our country. I am sure that this
disease will jump into peaple. What can we do to protect our family? we
know avian flu is a worldwide problem. Is it possible that we can
overcome it quickly?
Dr. Julie Gerberding
In areas where the avian flu virus is affecting chicken and other
poultry, it is extremely important that people take measures to avoid
having direct contact with birds, particularly sick birds. So, for
people who have pigeons, ducks or geese in their yards, certainly wash
hands after having any contact with those animals and avoid all contact
with sick birds and be sure to let local authorities know if there is a
sick bird in your vicinity. We also recommend that people thoroughly
cook their meats and not eat raw or undercooked chicken or other poultry
and again, if they themselves become ill with a serious respiratory
illness to let the local health authorities know immediately.
Chaim, from Los Angeles, California writes:
Dr. Gerberding, doesn't the bird flu hit birds every year or two? Is
there some kind of urgency now or business as usual?
Dr. Julie Gerberding
Migratory birds typically carry a variety of bird flu strains. What’s
different this time is that the strains are carrying the H5N1 strain,
which is highly contagious to poultry, but more importantly, it's highly
lethal to poultry. So, it is not only easily transmitted to a variety of
bird species but when most birds get it, they die.
Howard, from New Haven, CT writes:
Where did the avian flu originate? If I were to travel next month to
China, where several cases of avian flu have been reported, or other
affected countries, is it safe? What precautions should I take?
Dr. Julie Gerberding
The avian virus that we are concerned about right now - the H5N1 virus -
probably emerged in migratory birds, is typical and we’ve seen this
happen before, but, again it’s highly contagious and lethal to birds.
People traveling to areas of the world that have bird flu outbreaks
should avoid any contact with poultry and should certainly stay away
from the live poultry markets where birds and people come into close
contact. There is no danger from eating poultry, and certainly, properly
cooked poultry poses no health hazards as long as proper food hygiene
practices are followed. So, we don’t need to be worried about
consumption of poultry, just contact with sick birds or birds in regions
where the virus is common.
Joel, from Superior, Wisconsin writes:
How will the administration secure enough vaccinations, if an avian
influenza pandemic occurs?
Dr. Julie Gerberding
The President has proposed a phase strategy. Initially, we are procuring
enough H5N1 vaccines to treat 20 million people. This vaccine is made
from an early form of H5N1 and it probably will give partial protection
to a strain that emerges in the future. So, it’s not the perfect
solution but it gets us started. In the meantime, the second phase of
his strategy is to modernize our vaccine production so we can quickly
develop enough vaccine for every person in America and we can do it
using modern methods that don’t rely on eggs or other vaccine
productions that are antiquated.
Darleen, from Crystal Lake, IL writes:
I am wondering how to protect myself and my family. Will taking the flu
shot that is being given out right now protect or help protect against
the bird flu? Also, would taking the pneumonia shot that is available
right now protect or help protect dying from the bird flu? If so, are
there any particular risks of these shots that we should know of so that
we can make an informed decision?
Dr. Julie Gerberding
Right now, Americans are not at risk for pandemic avian influenza and
there is no need for vaccination against that virus. However, regular
seasonal flu is here in America and we are encouraging Americans to get
their regular flu shot. The flu shot that we are offering this year does
not protect against the avian strain, but it’s very important that
people at risk for flu complications get their flu shots this year
because it will protect them.
Overall, this year, we have a good supply of flu
shots. We are not expecting any shortages, but we know that in some
communities, some physicians haven’t received their vaccine supply yet
from the manufacturers so those having difficulty locating flu shots
should be sure to check with their local health officials because they
will know where the vaccines will be available.
Sam, from Greensboro, NC writes:
Hi Dr. Gerberding, There has been a lot of talk lately about the Avian
Flu, but it has recently been suggested by experts (and some
administration officials) that the danger has been overstated. Do you
think that this danger is really as imminent as many people believe?
What do you think is the chance of a major outbreak in the US over the
next few years? How does the risk of an outbreak in America compare to
the risk in Europe? Thanks
Dr. Julie Gerberding
We’ve had three pandemics of influenza in the last century. One of them,
the 1918-19 flu pandemic, was catastrophic. Right now, we do not have a
pandemic. We have an avian influenza virus that only occasionally
affects people and is not easily transmitted from one person to another.
However, one thing w know about flu viruses is that they are
unpredictable and it’s certainly possible that this virus could evolve
and become more transmissible and set off the beginning of a potential
pandemic. We can’t predict how likely that is. We can’t predict whether
the next pandemic will be associated with this particular avian virus or
some other strain of flu but we do know that it is more likely than not
that someday a pandemic will occur and so the steps that we are taking
to prepare for an avian pandemic will certainly help protect us whenever
the next pandemic influenza strain occurs.
Dr. Julie Gerberding concludes:
Thank you so much for all of your terrific questions. Again, I'd like to
stress that right now there is no pandemic but seasonal flu is here, so
be sure to get your flu shot. Secondly, while we can’t predict whether
we will actually have a pandemic, the preparations we are taking now
will help protect us from future potential influenza pandemics. For
those looking for more information on the avian flu or preparations, I
encourage you to visit the CDC website at
www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/, as well as read the President's National
Strategy for Pandemic Influenza located at
www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/pandemic-influenza.html.
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