Preparing for Influenza Outbreaks

October 1, 2009

The first batches of the H1N1 vaccine are becoming available, with health care workers the first to receive the vaccine. Federal health authorities have stressed, however, that within the next few months there will be plenty of vaccine to go around; 75 million doses will be produced before the end of the year. Check with your doctor, your children's school and your local public health department. Right now there's no central list of locations where swine flu vaccine will be offered, but the Department of Health and Human Services plans on putting information on Flu.gov as soon as possible.

Two types of vaccine are available: the flu shot, an inactivated vaccine containing fragments of killed influenza virus, and a nasal spray, which is made using a weakened live flu virus. The nasal spray will be the first distributed to health care workers, those who work with children, and people ages 2 to 24. The injectible vaccine will first go to pregnant women, children other the age of two, and people with chronic health problems. So far, officials of the National Institutes of Health say that in clinical trials they've seen no serious side effects and that study subjects who have been immunized have generated a good response.

Extensive information about preparing for H1N1 and other potential pandemic influenza outbreaks is available on the website of Episcopal Relief & Development. There you will find links to various pandemic preparedness plans and other resources that give individual advice and advice for congregations in the event of a large-scale outbreak. Additionally, Episcopal Relief & Development has posted Planning for Pandemic Influenza.

The United States Government offers H1N1 Flu: A Guide for Community and Faith-based Organizations. Vulnerable and Hard-to-Reach Populations, as well as useful links for congregations that serve the homeless.

National Council of Churches provides this list of H1N1 and Seasonal Flu Best Practices for Congregations.

Some Episcopal churches have suggested that communicants not dip their Eucharistic bread into the cup but rather sip from the cup directly, since hands are often more infectious than mouths. Others have suggested that communicants forgo the wine altogether, if they are concerned about the flu, since the fullness of the Eucharist is contained in each element.