PANDEMIC INFLUENZA
A pandemic
is a global disease outbreak. A flu pandemic occurs
when a new influenza virus emerges for which people
have little or no immunity, and for which there is no
vaccine. The disease spreads easily person-to-person,
causes serious illness, and can sweep across the
country and around the world in very short time.
The United
States and Mexico have confirmed the outbreak of a
swine influenza A (H1N1) virus not previously detected
in humans or pigs. (Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report Dispatch, Volume 58, 24 April
2009)
Health
professionals are concerned that the continued spread
of a highly pathogenic avian H5N1 virus across eastern
Asia and other countries represents a significant
threat to human health. The H5N1 virus has raised
concerns about a potential human pandemic because:
The
following Energy Association of PA (EAPA)
member companies support the Draft U.S. Department of
Homeland Security Sector Specific PANDEMIC INFLUENZA
Planning Guidelines for the Electricity Sector and the
Oil/Natural Gas Sector* as a Non-Prescriptive
Reference:
Allegheny
Power
Citizens
Electric Co.
Columbia
Gas/NiSource
Columbia
Gas Transmission
Delmarva
Power
Duquesne
Light Company
FirstEnergy
Corp. (Met-Ed, Penelec,Penn Power)
PECO
Energy Co.
Philadelphia
Gas Works
Pike
County
Light & Power/Orange &
Rockland
Utilities/Consolidated
Edison
PPL
Electric Utilities
UGI
Central Penn Gas
UGI
Penn Natural Gas
UGI
Utilities, Inc.
Valley
Energy
Wellsboro Electric Co.
*
In May
2006, the Homeland Security Council released the
Implementation Plan for Pandemic Influenza. The
Implementation Plan consists of 324 critical actions
that engage all levels of government and ensures that
efforts and resources are coordinated against the
pandemic threat. One of these actions, 9.1.2.1
was to develop sector-specific guidelines for all 18
Critical Infrastructure Key Resources (CIKR).
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND LINKS
U.S. Government Pandemic Flu Website
Pandemic
Preparedness: Major Points to Consider
(Notes,
July 2008 Pennsylvania Department of Health-sponsored
Workshop)
ANNEX:
DRAFT Oil & Natural Gas Sector Pandemic Guideline
ANNEX:
DRAFT Electricity Sector Pandemic Guideline
(Sector-specific guideline annexes to the Pandemic
Influenza Preparedness Response, and Recovery Guide
for Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CI/KR
Pandemic Guide, Office of Homeland Security)
# # #
