Overview
FluPrep is a project by Georgetown Prep to be prepared to address an outbreak of pandemic flu. The project and the ongoing readiness program that will be developed recognize that
- there are limits to global, Federal and state abilities to prevent a pandemic outbreak
- any US pandemic plan will take one to two years to implement
- official Federal, state, regional and local responders may
- not be the first to recognize the initial signs of a pandemic outbreak
- not be able to provide sufficient or even any assistance in time to stop or even slow a spreading pandemic
- exercising direct personal responsibility (by individuals and by groups such as the Prep community) to prevent outbreaks and deal with effects offers the best preparation and therefore the best protection for all of us
The project is designed to involve the entire Prep community. For success, each member of the community needs to
- be aware of influenza spreading across the world
- know the threat from pandemic flu
- understand how influenza infects and spreads, what it does and how it can be stopped
- educate themselves on what they can do to be effective in preparing and protecting themselves, their families and others with whom they come in contact
- know and play their part in protecting the community
Pandemics are periodic and cannot be entirely eliminated. They occur because the flu virus can mutate and built-up immunities of society to a particular strain can be lost as generations move on, thus increasing the spreading capacity of the strain. Ourpreparations in this project are not in vain if an outbreak does not occur this year or next.
The growing global interconnectedness makes it easier for infectious diseases from faraway locations to affect us locally. Our capacity to protect ourselves needs to be a part of daily life. We recognize this need. FluPrep is our way to build this capacity.