Disease Outbreak

Health care professionals are constantly monitoring emergency room visits, ambulance runs, pharmacy sales, and school absenteeism to determine the threat level of new or reoccurring biological hazards. These hazards include pandemic influenza, avian influenza, West Nile Virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), anthrax, and smallpox.

It is important to talk with your local public health officials and health care providers, who can supply information about the signs and symptoms of a specific disease outbreak and can recommend prevention and control actions.

Adopt business/school practices that encourage sick employees/students to stay home, and anticipate how to function with a significant portion of the workforce/school population absent due to illness or caring for ill family members.

Practice good health habits, including eating a balanced diet, exercising daily, and getting sufficient rest. In addition, practice good hygiene to stop the spread of germs. This includes frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying away from others as much as possible when you are sick.