Promising Practices to help you prepare for pandemic flu

With so much information out there about preparing for pandemic flu, how do you recognize strong advice? Well, a new tool is now available to help communities learn from one another when it comes to planning for a pandemic. And it includes great tips for individuals, too.

The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, along with the Pew Center on the States, created Promising Practices, an online database of more than 130 peer-reviewed practices to enhance public health preparedness. Many are geared toward people working in public health and related fields, but several are useful for personal and family preparedness planning. You can start today by asking these questions:

*How do I create a family preparedness plan?
*What food should I stockpile?
*What can I do to reduce the risk of catching a respiratory illness like influenza?
*How do I care for ill family members at home if it becomes necessary?

You can find answers to these questions and more on the Promising Practices site. Click on personal preparedness, home care or vulnerable populations to learn more.

One of the resources is a link to the Get Ready blog, which contains useful posts. Others include a video on family preparedness planning; a thorough, easy-to-read pandemic influenza guide; and a family preparedness booklet you can complete.

Preparing for an emergency can mean the difference between struggling to reclaim your life and forging ahead after a fire, a tornado or even a flu pandemic. This new resource can speed your journey along the path to preparedness.

Amy Becker, MPH, is the project coordinator for Promising Practices at the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. Promising Practices was conceived and funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts. Center staff collected and reviewed materials, with expert guidance from an advisory committee of public health and pandemic influenza experts nationwide.