TABLE – TOP EXERCISETABLE – TOP EXERCISE

Regional Faith Community Regional Faith Community Summit on Pandemic Summit on Pandemic

Preparedness and ResponsePreparedness and Response

Marg Pollon, Bridges of Love MinistryMarg Pollon, Bridges of Love MinistryMay 15May 15thth, 2008, 2008

UNFOLDING SITUATIONUNFOLDING SITUATIONDecisions & ResponsesDecisions & Responses

Increasing number of outbreaks of Increasing number of outbreaks of Avian Influenza in Asian CountriesAvian Influenza in Asian Countries

Small clusters of humans infected in Small clusters of humans infected in villages throughout Asia.villages throughout Asia.

High rates of mortality reported.High rates of mortality reported. Effecting mainly the young (10 – 19) Effecting mainly the young (10 – 19) Type A, H5N1 identified as the virus Type A, H5N1 identified as the virus

with no vaccine currently availablewith no vaccine currently available

Alert posted for large Canadian Alert posted for large Canadian hospitals at ports of entry to be on hospitals at ports of entry to be on the alert for arriving passengers with the alert for arriving passengers with severe respiratory illness.severe respiratory illness.

Influenza vaccine manufactures are Influenza vaccine manufactures are placed on alert…placed on alert…

Influenza strain is becoming more Influenza strain is becoming more virulent and human-to-human virulent and human-to-human transmission is happening in transmission is happening in Indonesia and China.Indonesia and China.

Who declares a Phase 5 (large Who declares a Phase 5 (large clusters but still localized)clusters but still localized)

Regional Health Centres placed on stand-Regional Health Centres placed on stand-by to take precautionary measures.by to take precautionary measures.

All hospitals have been advised to monitor All hospitals have been advised to monitor respiratory illnesses with extreme caution.respiratory illnesses with extreme caution.

Coastal ports (Vancouver) has an increase Coastal ports (Vancouver) has an increase in cases of flu-like symptoms, but no in cases of flu-like symptoms, but no known deaths.known deaths.

BC and perhaps all of Canada on verge of BC and perhaps all of Canada on verge of a pandemic influenza.a pandemic influenza.

Many questions and concern rising from all Many questions and concern rising from all sectors of society.sectors of society.

QUESTIONSQUESTIONS

Break into groups of 3 or 4 and Break into groups of 3 or 4 and prepare responses to the following prepare responses to the following questions on Page 4 of your hand-questions on Page 4 of your hand-out. out.

Choose one person to be the Choose one person to be the spokesperson for the group when we spokesperson for the group when we reconvene in 10 minutes. reconvene in 10 minutes.

1) 1) Identify those services which could be adapted Identify those services which could be adapted for a pandemic scenario?for a pandemic scenario?

2)2) How could a communication ‘tree’ be How could a communication ‘tree’ be implemented prior to pandemic?implemented prior to pandemic?

3) 3) Who do you identify in your local community as Who do you identify in your local community as those with a common interest and concern for those with a common interest and concern for

Pandemic Planning?Pandemic Planning?

4. What changes would have to be made in the 4. What changes would have to be made in the way your congregation operates to guard against way your congregation operates to guard against

further spread of infection?further spread of infection?

a) Identify those services which are considered a) Identify those services which are considered critical during a Pandemic?critical during a Pandemic?

b) b) Identify those services which are considered Identify those services which are considered non-essential during a pandemic?non-essential during a pandemic?

LATER DEVELOPMENTS:LATER DEVELOPMENTS:Decisions and ResponsesDecisions and Responses

10 times the volume of patients with flu-10 times the volume of patients with flu-like symptoms.like symptoms.

Five deaths from severe flu symptoms Five deaths from severe flu symptoms from individuals who recently returned from individuals who recently returned from a flight from Shanghai.from a flight from Shanghai.

Staff shortages reported at local health Staff shortages reported at local health departments…departments…

Health staff who are available to work Health staff who are available to work report they are exhausted and need time report they are exhausted and need time to rest.to rest.

Shortages of anti-virals as well as Shortages of anti-virals as well as diminishing supplies, especially of diminishing supplies, especially of ventilators, gloves, masks and lab ventilators, gloves, masks and lab supplies. supplies.

Escalation in civil unrestEscalation in civil unrest Stock-piling of food, tempers rising, soap Stock-piling of food, tempers rising, soap

and water are in short supply.and water are in short supply. Mass graves have been dug, funerals have Mass graves have been dug, funerals have

been banned, so emotional pain is been banned, so emotional pain is unbearable.unbearable.

Panic setting in as citizens are uncertain Panic setting in as citizens are uncertain how to address the worsening and fearful how to address the worsening and fearful situation.situation.

QUESTIONSQUESTIONS

Break into groups of 3 or 4 and Break into groups of 3 or 4 and prepare responses to the following prepare responses to the following questions on Page 4 of your hand-questions on Page 4 of your hand-out. out.

Choose one person to be the Choose one person to be the spokesperson for the group when we spokesperson for the group when we reconvene in 10 minutes. reconvene in 10 minutes.

1) What steps has your faith group taken to identify those 1) What steps has your faith group taken to identify those in your community who might be at high-risk and will need in your community who might be at high-risk and will need extra attention? extra attention? (Seniors, special needs, immigrants, homeless…)(Seniors, special needs, immigrants, homeless…)

2) What strategies are in place for the members to cope 2) What strategies are in place for the members to cope with an increase in demands from the community in your with an increase in demands from the community in your

area? (Financial, food, child care, pastoral care…)area? (Financial, food, child care, pastoral care…)

3) With a reduction in staffing, identify what functions will 3) With a reduction in staffing, identify what functions will be curtailed/stopped and what resources/lay people are be curtailed/stopped and what resources/lay people are

necessary to sustain remaining faith functions?necessary to sustain remaining faith functions?

4) Do you see a component in developing an enhanced 4) Do you see a component in developing an enhanced level of individual community preparedness and developing level of individual community preparedness and developing structure which will allow for coordinated assistance to the structure which will allow for coordinated assistance to the established emergency management structures? Why?established emergency management structures? Why?

DEBRIEFING AND SELF-EVALUATIONDEBRIEFING AND SELF-EVALUATION (1 – 5 with 5 being the highest)(1 – 5 with 5 being the highest)

THE IDEAL: All community partners THE IDEAL: All community partners involved in the process:involved in the process: Set up a command structure within the Set up a command structure within the

communitycommunity Identified an agreed-on leader (coordinator)Identified an agreed-on leader (coordinator) Demonstrated the ability to effectively Demonstrated the ability to effectively

communicate with one anothercommunicate with one another Identified those at high-risk & vulnerableIdentified those at high-risk & vulnerable Presented a unified response plan that was Presented a unified response plan that was

coordinated seamlessly across identified coordinated seamlessly across identified partnerspartners

DEBRIEFING AND SELF-EVALUATIONDEBRIEFING AND SELF-EVALUATION ((1 – 10 with 10 being the highest)1 – 10 with 10 being the highest)

Coped and were prepared for the increased Coped and were prepared for the increased demand made by the community surrounding demand made by the community surrounding your faith facilityyour faith facility

Identified transferrable skills (talents/training) Identified transferrable skills (talents/training) within faith community memberswithin faith community members

Identified those services which were Identified those services which were critical/essential and non-essential critical/essential and non-essential

Lay individuals trained and ready for action Lay individuals trained and ready for action prior to pandemic out-breakprior to pandemic out-break

Resources identified so duplication of efforts Resources identified so duplication of efforts were kept to a minimum were kept to a minimum

ACTION PLAN DEVELOPMENTACTION PLAN DEVELOPMENT

• What are the biggest gaps or challenges in What are the biggest gaps or challenges in preparedness you see resulting from this exercise?preparedness you see resulting from this exercise?

• Which problem areas should be deemed highest Which problem areas should be deemed highest priority?priority?

• Identify three important gaps that could lend themselves Identify three important gaps that could lend themselves to an action plan?to an action plan?

• Outline a plan for how you might begin to make Outline a plan for how you might begin to make improvements to your response.improvements to your response.

• What initial steps can you take?What initial steps can you take?• Can you identify a change agent for each of these steps?Can you identify a change agent for each of these steps?• How can you reassess yourself to ensure that How can you reassess yourself to ensure that

improvements have worked?improvements have worked?

THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATINGTHANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING

This is a learning exercise and This is a learning exercise and

thus there are many good and thus there are many good and appropriate choices and answersappropriate choices and answers

to the situations presented.to the situations presented.

We need to simply and concretely We need to simply and concretely look out for and truly love look out for and truly love

our neighbours. our neighbours.

SPECIAL THANKS SPECIAL THANKS

RAND Health CommunicationsRAND Health Communications

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