How to Help Out During a Flu Pandemic

Explore this Article

methods

1Avoiding Infection and Transmission

2Caring for an Infected Person

3Participating in Community Strategies

4Volunteering During the Pandemic

+Show 1 more...

-Show less...

Other Sections

Tips and Warnings

Related Articles

References

Most people think of influenza, commonly known as the flu, as little more than a nasty inconvenience that means staying in bed for a few days. If the flu becomes widespread, however, it can become a pandemic — a global epidemic. Some experts fear a flu pandemic could occur in the near future. This could be highly disruptive to society, and for many people even deadly. If this were to occur, you might find yourself wondering how you could help. Depending how much effort and preparation you're willing to put in, there are many ways you might help stem the tide of a flu pandemic.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Avoiding Infection and Transmission

1. 
   1
   Be prepared. As obvious as it may seem, it's worth mentioning that one of the most important things you can do to reduce the impact of a flu pandemic is to not catch the flu yourself, or at least not spread it to others. A first step in being able to make this small but important contribution is to prepare in advance.

   • One thing you can do to prepare yourself is to get vaccinated every flu season. While any pandemic that might occur would likely involve a new strain of influenza, staying up to date on flu vaccinations will reduce your chances of contracting the disease.
   • Another way to be prepared is to ensure that you have medications on hand for dealing with the flu if you or someone in your household does contract it. Make sure to have medications on hand for easing the symptoms and reducing a fever. These medications may be more difficult to obtain once a pandemic has begun.
   • One supply you may not think to stock up on ahead of time is face masks. These items sell out quickly during a disease outbreak, so make sure you have a supply before this happens. Wear a mask when going out and provide one to any family members that are sick or immunocompromised.
   • It's also a good idea to keep two week's worth of food and water on hand, as these things may also be harder to obtain. Preparing for your own needs means emergency supplies will be available to someone else who needs them.
2. 
   2
   Keep your distance from anyone showing symptoms. The flu is most often transmitted via tiny droplets of water that are released when people cough or sneeze. During a pandemic (or any flu season) avoid exposure to the virus.

   • Stay away from anyone coughing or sneezing.
   • Avoid unnecessary handshaking.
   • Avoid kissing or any other activities that might expose you to other people's saliva.
   • Spend as little time as possible in crowded places.
   Advertisement
3. 
   3
   Wash your hands frequently. Because people touch so many things throughout the day, your hands are the part of your body most likely to come into contact with the influenza virus. Wash your hands regularly with hot water and soap.

   • Similarly, try to keep your hands away from your face, especially your nose and mouth. This reduces the risk of accidentally infecting yourself, and also reduces the risk of passing the flu on to others if you become infected.
   • If you can, wash your hands right away after coughing or sneezing.
4. 
   4
   Disinfect surfaces as appropriate. Clean and disinfect surfaces in your home and workplace that many people touch and could easily be contaminated with germs such as the flu. This kills germs that could infect you or others.

   • Examples of areas to disinfect include doorknobs, microwaves, refrigerator handles, toilet flushers, and computer keyboards.
   • You can use a commercially available disinfectant (or disinfecting wipes), or make your own by mixing one cup of bleach with a gallon of water. You can put this mixture in a spray bottle or use a clean cloth or paper towels to disinfect surfaces.
5. 
   5
   Stay home if you are infected. If you feel ill, stay home to avoid infecting others. Do not go to work or school. You should also try to avoid going to a clinic unless absolutely necessary, as you risk infecting others. Many clinics have a phone triage process so that if you have typical symptoms of the flu, they will prescribe medication over the phone. If, however, you have other or more serious symptoms, you should be seen by a medical professional.

   • If possible, work from home. In a true pandemic situation, your employer will likely be understanding about your decision not to come to work
   • If your symptoms become severe, contact your doctor and ask whether you should seek medical attention.
6. 
   6
   Cover coughs and sneezes. Just as it is important to stay away from other people who are coughing and sneezing, you should also reduce the risk of infecting others by covering your own coughs and sneezes.

   • Cough or sneeze into a single-use tissue, or into the sleeve of your shirt or jacket rather than your hand to reduce the risk of spreading infection by touching things.
   • Wash your hands immediately afterwards if possible.
   Advertisement

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Caring for an Infected Person

1. 
   1
   Designate a single care provider. Another way you can help out during a flu pandemic is by properly caring for an infected friend or family member. If someone in your household is infected, it is best to designate a single person responsible for caring for him to minimize contact with the public.

   • The designated caregiver should be especially vigilant about washing her hands, and should do so after each time she visits the infected person.
   • It is also a good idea for the caregiver to cover her mouth and nose when caring for the infected person. Invest in a surgical mask or other mouth-covering device, and replace it often.
2. 
   2
   Provide a separate area. To the extent that it is possible, provide the infected person with a separate area of the home where others do not go to avoid the risk of infection.

   • Keep the infected person at least three feet away from others.
   • Keep this space aired out using natural breezes from open windows or doors, if it is not too cold outside.
3. 
   3
   Give the infected person plenty of fluids. Having the flu causes a person to lose water at a faster rate than normal. It is important to keep an infected person hydrated, as dehydration can lead to serious health risks.

   • Give the sick person as much water as he can drink.
   • Provide other liquids like juice or broth as well.
4. 
   4
   Watch for signs of danger. Influenza can become severe and lead to other complications like pneumonia. In such cases, the illness can cause death. Watch for the following danger signs, and if you notice these, seek medical attention:

   • Difficulty breathing
   • Severe chest pain
   • Inability to stand
   • Passing out or other sudden loss of consciousness
   • High fever for more than three days
   • Seizures or inability to wake up
   Advertisement

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Participating in Community Strategies

1. 
   1
   Follow the news and watch for public bulletins. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has created several voluntary community level strategies for combating a flu pandemic. Keep an eye on your local news for public bulletins about steps you should take.

   • These community-level interventions are triggered by the number of cases of illness in a given community and the number of deaths it has caused. In a severe pandemic, you will be asked to take certain steps to minimize the spread of the disease.
2. 
   2
   Cooperate with home isolation or quarantines as necessary. The CDC may ask that infected people be isolated from others during treatment. This can occur in the home or in a medical facility, depending on the severity of the illness. Comply with all instructions given by community leaders.

   • As noted, it's generally a good idea to keep infected persons away from healthy ones. In a pandemic situation, however, the CDC may provide additional instructions for keeping infected persons isolated.
3. 
   3
   Care for children outside of school. In a moderate to severe pandemic, the CDC may ask schools to shut down temporarily. Make plans for caring for your children at home if this should occur.

   • This may require you or another family member to take time off work.
   • Plan some activities your children can take part in should school be cancelled for more than a day or two.
   • Make sure your children are washing their hands regularly and taking other precautions to avoid infection.
4. 
   4
   Participate in "social distancing." In a more severe pandemic situation, the CDC may recommend what it calls social distancing. This means avoiding unnecessary contact with other people, even if you are healthy. This could include a variety of recommendations, such as the following:

   • Asking people to voluntarily work from home, if it is an option
   • Asking people to cancel or stay away from large gatherings, such as sporting events or concerts
   • Asking people who are caring for someone with the flu to stay home from work
   • Asking employers to stagger work shifts in order to reduce the number of people working in a facility at any given time
5. 
   5
   Cooperate with any other CDC requests. In addition to these measures, the CDC may request that people in your community take other steps to reduce the risk of infection. Be attentive to announcements from the CDC or your community leaders, and do your best to comply with all requests.
   Advertisement

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Volunteering During the Pandemic

1. 
   1
   Research volunteer opportunities in advance. If you want to play a more active role in helping during a pandemic, there may be volunteer opportunities. Many of these require you to get involved before a pandemic starts. Spend some time researching organizations in your area that will provide services.

   • Both federal and state agencies will be involved in combating a flu pandemic. The government is generally not allowed to accept volunteer services, but may do so in emergencies such as a pandemic.
   • Do an internet search using the name of your state and "emergency volunteers."
   • Reach out to your local Red Cross for volunteer opportunities. This organization is wide-spread and welcomes volunteers of all skill levels.
2. 
   2
   Consider joining the Medical Reserve Corp. At the federal level, the one institution that you can volunteer with to help in a widespread medical emergency such as a pandemic is the Medical Reserve Corp (MRC). Visit their website for information about what they do and how you can get involved.

   • If you have medical training of any kind, your experience will make you particularly valuable to the the MRC; however, people without medical experience can also volunteer.
   • The MRC website has a utility you can use to find out if they have a unit near you. If they don't, you can contact them about the possibility of organizing one!
3. 
   3
   Participate in required training. Both the MRC and local volunteer organizations provide and require training for their volunteers. Many of these trainings must be carried out well in advance, so get involved and get trained before the pandemic hits.

   • Front line volunteers working with infected persons will require more rigorous and extended training. If you hope to be involved in this way, it is very important that you get involved early.
   • Some of these organizations do provide "just-in-time" trainings. This is short-notice training intended for immediate use in some critical task. In many cases, however, you will still need to be registered in advance as a volunteer so the appropriate agency will know to contact you.
4. 
   4
   Accept any assignment given. Especially if you don't have medical experience, the tasks you will be assigned may not be glamorous or exciting. Remember that whatever you are doing is still important, even if you can't see a direct effect. Here are some examples of tasks you might be assigned.

   • Driving support vehicles
   • Training or coordinating other volunteers
   • Fundraising
   • Transporting supplies or coordinating supply operations
   • Answering phones or emails, or other administrative work
   Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Tips

• If you are serious about providing direct assistance in case of flu pandemic, don't wait — get involved now.
  Thanks

  Helpful0Not Helpful0
• Just keeping yourself and your family free of infection, or caring for infected family members in a way that reduces the risk of contaminating others, is a valuable service.
  Thanks

  Helpful0Not Helpful0

Advertisement

Warnings

• Influenza can be fatal. If you or a loved one develop a severe case, contact a medical professional immediately for advice and/or treatment.
  Thanks

  Helpful2Not Helpful0

Advertisement

You Might Also Like

The Truth About Mental Health: Separating Myth from Fact

How to

Survive a Heart Attack when Alone

How to

Do Savasana (Corpse Pose)

How to

Get Rid of Parasites

What Is Adrenaline? How an Adrenaline Rush Affects Your Body & More

How to

Recover from a Bone Fracture

How to

Become a Sterile Processing Technician

How to

Discuss an Unplanned Pregnancy With Your Spouse

How to

Encourage Big Kids to Wear Diapers

How to

Treat Dry Eyes Naturally

How to

Take Shilajit

How to

Know When to Wear a Mask

How to

Fix Strawberry Legs

How to

Prevent Skin Peeling After Sunburn

Advertisement