Medical Emergencies
Pandemic Flu Preparation

Don't overlook medical emergencies when you are enacting your flu pandemic preparedness plan . Make sure you have emergency medical supplies that you may need, and can handle first aid medical emergencies!

The first thing that you can do is make appointments for everyone in your family who needs a yearly medical checkup, dental visit, eye care checkup, etc. Get everything taken care of.

Buy a year’s worth of medications. Even if you have insurance and usually don’t buy more than a month’s supply! Pay for them out of pocket. Make sure you have all the emergency medical supplies that your family will need.

In the coming months, you may not be able to obtain medical and/or dental services. Hospitals use electricity for testing equipment and patient life support equipment (like ventilators). They are institutions and therefore need large quantities of food, water, electricity, etc. to operate. What would your local hospital do if the water or sewage services suddenly stopped?

What if the infectious waste person didn’t show up? What if the trash collection company didn’t come to unload the dumpsters? What if the doctors and nurses got sick? What if they just called off so that they could stay home to care for their families?

Compounding the hospital situation, medications and medical supplies may not be available. The supplies of Tamiflu and Relenza are expected to be used up quickly.

Drug companies won’t be able to obtain raw materials from their suppliers. In urban areas of the US and Canada, we can expect to have the additional risk of looters, desperately looking for drugs in hospitals, veterinariary practices and physicians' offices.

"911" services may not be available. If they are available, there may be no gasoline or you may not have phone service. You will need to have alternative plans in place, whether for providing your own transportation in an emergency or for medical care outside the hospital care system.

Prepare Now
Prevent Medical Emergencies

• Have a thorough medical checkup for each member of the family.

• Get a pneumonia vaccine shot if you are in a high risk group and your physician advises you to do so.

  There is some disagreement on the value and dangers of vaccines, so make sure that you have read both the pros and cons of getting vaccines --any kind.

• Schedule your dental exams.

• Obtain a copy of your medical/dental records, especially if you have a medical condition that requires knowledge of prior tests/treatments.

• List all medications, over the counter and prescription, that family members use. Make sure that you have plenty of each. Some insurance companies will not allow you to buy medications ahead. You may have to pay for them out-of-pocket or make special arrangements.

• Obtain special medications, e.g. for allergic reactions in an emergency.

• If you are pregnant, discuss all options available with your doctor. Plan accordingly. Consider alternatives such as moving in with a relative who lives near the doctor or hospital. Or consider preparing for delivery at home without a physician present. Make sure that you have any supplies necessary and that there is an adult who can help you during delivery.

• If you wear contact lenses, purchase a good quantity of contacts so that you will have them on hand.

  Be prepared to wear glasses if you don't have access to clean water that you know is safe for cleaning your lenses. Wash your hands thoroughly when handling your contact lenses. Don't take chances on getting an eye infection that can destroy your vision.

• Schedule all non-emergency surgery now, as there will be a time, very soon, when NO elective surgeries will be performed. This is actually part of the national Bird Flu plan.

• Purchase a battery-operated (or hand cranked) radio or television for information about conditions in your area and any help that is available.

• If you become ill and need to go to a hospital or makeshift hospital, you will not be allowed to take your pets (with the exception of seeing eye dogs). You will need make arrangements or provide an alternative plan for your pets ahead of time.

• If you or someone in your family is dependent upon medical devices, make sure that you have plenty of solutions, supplies, batteries, etc. Also discuss with your doctor the possibility of an alternative device or solution. Such devices include, but are not limited to:
  1. infusion pumps in intravenous drips
  2. pacemakers
  3. dialysis equipment
  4. chemotherapy and radiation equipment

• FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) is requests that anyone, who is dependent upon medical devices, register with their local Emergency Management office. Look in the government pages of your telephone book to find the office nearest you.

Have contingency plans for expected problems and for transportation, if necessary. Make sure that you are prepared to handle the inevitable medical emergencies that will certainly arise!

Related Medical Information

Flu Prevention

Social Distancing

Infection Control

Home Hygiene

Hand washing

How to Kill Virus Germs

The Sick Room

In Home Care

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