What is a Pandemic? Pandemic flu is virulent human flu that causes a global outbreak, or pandemic, of serious illness. Because there is little natural immunity, the disease can spread easily from person to person. Currently, there is no pandemic flu.

How is a Pandemic Different from the Regular Flu?

Seasonal Flu	Pandemic Flu
Occurs every year	Occurs irregularly
Occurs during the winter; December to March	Occurs at any time of the year
Most people recover in 1 to 2 weeks with little medical treatment	Some people may never recover even with medical treatment
The very young, elderly and very sick are most at risk	People of every age may be at risk

Protect Yourself and You Family Cover your nose and mouth Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze Put your tissue in the trash can If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands Wash your hands Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 10-15 seconds If water is not available use hand sanitizer Keep your home and work areas clean and sanitized Clean areas with household detergents Use bleach or alcohol to sanitize surfaces Keep your distance Avoid crowds Limit your travel If possible, work from home

Phase Title	Phase #	Description
Inter-pandemic phase	1 2	Low risk of human cases New virus in animals, no human cases, Higher risk of human cases
Pandemic Alert	3 4 5	No or very limited human-to-human transmission Evidence of increased human-to-human transmission Evidence of significant human-to-human transmission
Pandemic	6	Efficient and sustained human-to-human transmission

Potential Impacts of a Pandemic
Essential services may be disrupted: including banks, restaurants, post offices, stores, gas stations
Food and water supplies may be interrupted and limited
Being able to work may be difficult or impossible
Schools and daycare centers may be closed for an extended time period
Medical care could be disrupted

Be Prepared

Website Links:
• One-stop access to U.S. Government avian and pandemic flu information
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website on Avian Influenza
• Centers for Disease Control
• North Carolina Public Health

Brochures and Documents:
• Influenza Fact Sheet - .pdf format