BACKGROUND:

On December 6, 2006, at my request, a presentation was made to our Board on the status of the County’s Pandemic Response Plan.  This plan would be activated in the event of a mass human outbreak of pandemic influenza.  A pandemic is a disease outbreak that occurs over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting hundreds of thousands – perhaps millions – of people.  Once international spread begins, pandemics become nearly unstoppable.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that if a pandemic were to hit San Diego County, 450,000 to 1.1 million people would become ill; 245,000 to 573,000 would require out-patient visits; 5000 to 12,000 would require hospitalization, and 1000, to 3000 would die of flu-related causes. 

During the Board presentation on December 6th, we were told by medical and health experts that if an outbreak occurred here it would place an enormous demand on our health care system and potentially disrupt other facets of our infrastructure.  By all estimations, it’s only a matter of time before a pandemic strikes.  Although it is not likely that we will be able to stop it from happening, we can lessen its impact through preparation.  For the skeptics who believe that a large scale pandemic will never hit, be rest assured that efforts to implement a solid response plan will also better prepare us to address other potential disasters such as a biologic terrorist attack.  At this time we may not know who our enemy is going to be, but we have a responsibility to our citizens to be prepared for the battle. 

It was reassuring to learn during the presentation that our County has invested considerable resources in preparation for an epidemic of this scale.  However, we were also told that more work needs to be done to coordinate our efforts internally, as well as with other jurisdictions within the county, law enforcement agencies, businesses and organizations. 

Today, I am asking the Board to support the Governor’s proposed budget items that would fund on-going local activities related to preparing for a pandemic or other biological attack. 

Specifically, these items include:

• $17.9 million for local health departments to support activities related to the prevention of a pandemic influenza outbreak.

• $14.3 million to develop and publicize a statewide pandemic influenza education and information campaign and develop a general emergency preparedness communications campaign.

• $1.5 million to purchase and manage the antiviral, Tamiflu, as well as a vaccine and medical supplies that California will need during a pandemic.

• $1 million to strengthen the State Department of Health Services (DHS) pandemic influenza planning effort, conduct epidemiological investigations of influenza and respiratory disease outbreaks, and provide epidemiological and statistical support to the infectious disease laboratories. The DHS will train existing frontline public health field investigators to more effectively respond to anticipated infectious disease events.

• $21.8 million to improve local coordination efforts with other entities, such as the port district, schools and businesses to prepare for pandemic influenza and disease outbreaks.

• $5.5 million for disease surveillance and strengthening California’s laboratory infrastructure.

• $1.5 million for building health care capacity to meet increased demand for services in disasters.

The funding proposed in the Governor’s proposed budget for pandemic preparedness would go a long way towards helping our region plan for a possible outbreak.  As the Avian flu continues to spread across Europe, we must do everything in our power to ensure our region receives its fair share of funding so that we will be as prepared as possible should this outbreak– or any other pandemic – arrive on our shores.  To be unprepared is to invite disaster.

I urge your support.

Respectfully submitted,

RON ROBERTS

Vice-Chairman

Supervisor, Fourth District