Transcript Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Risk Communicator Training
for Foreign Animal & Zoonotic Disease
Defense
Scenario 1
Highly Pathogenic Avian
Influenza (HPAI)
Developed by
Susan Gale, DVM
Center for Animal Health and Food Safety
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Minnesota
In cooperation with
Risk Communication Project
Purpose of Scenario
• Apply Risk Communication principles introduced
in the training module to a fictional event
involving Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
• Apply knowledge of zoonotic and foreign animal
disease outbreaks to craft appropriate
messages
• Create risk and crisis communication response
strategies from the perspective of key players
Scene 1
August 30, 2009
Live Bird Market
Anytown, USA
Chickens Go to Market
• Farm A raises free-range
chickens
• These chickens are sold
through a local Live Bird
Market
Live Bird Markets
• Live Bird Markets sell poultry to the public and
butcher the birds
• Final dressing is done by the customer
• Live Bird Markets are exempt from inspection
by State or Federal authorities because the
customer is having an animal that they own
butchered
Chickens Grouped Together
• Chickens from all vendor
farms are put together in
one pen
• Customers select which
chickens they want to buy
and have butchered
Detection: Initial Signs of Disease
• Live Bird Market– Sudden death of several birds in
holding pen
• Bird market owner tosses dead birds into uncovered
outside carcass bin
Detection: Initial Signs of Disease
HUMAN CASE
• Chicken slaughter worker becomes ill and is
hospitalized
• Influenza testing shows ill worker is infected with HPAI
H5N1 virus
• With supportive medical care, the ill worker recovers
H5N1 Virus
Facts about HPAI in Birds
• Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
is out of the family ornothmyxviridae. It is a
Type A influenza virus.
• HPAI is highly contagious among birds,
especially domesticated poultry like
chickens, ducks and turkeys
• Mortality rates from HPAI infection in
poultry can reach 90-100% in 48 hours
Facts about HPAI in People
• HPAI transmission from birds to humans occurs
occasionally, the highest risk is to people who
are in direct contact with infected birds
• Up to 60 % of humans infected with HPAI virus
have died
• Human to Human spread is rare
• Main concern is virus mutation which could
make HPAI more virulent in humans
Outbreak Response
• State Veterinarian investigates Live Bird Market as
source of infection and tests chickens, holding
pens and slaughter facility
• Samples are sent to specialized government
laboratories for testing
• Results won’t be known for 2-3 days
Risk Communication Part 1
• A Live Bird Market employee has been diagnosed
with Influenza H5N1 virus and an investigation is
ongoing
• Consider your role as a Risk Communicator in this
scenario.
• Who is your audience? What sources of information
do they have access to?
• How do you address the time of uncertainty while
awaiting test results?
Risk Communicators
Players
Actions
State Board of Health
Announce H5N1 virus found in
human patient
State Veterinarian
Investigate source of H5N1 virus
Live Bird Market Owner
Cooperate with investigation
Local health professionals, Gather information on outbreak
DVMs, MDs
from reliable sources
Message
Outbreak Response
• Area Veterinarian in Charge (AVIC) traces Live
Bird Market chicken suppliers to five different
farms
• Farm A has been experiencing sick chickens
for ten days, some have died
• Chickens on Farm A and 5 nearby production
flocks test positive for H5N1
Risk Communication Part 2
• A Live Bird Market employee was ill with H5N1
Influenza that has been traced to a local farm and
an outbreak is detected
• What potential consequences can you imagine
might result from this outbreak?
• What questions can you anticipate from your
audience?
• How can you reduce the fear or outrage response
to this outbreak?
Risk Communicators
Players
Actions
Area Veterinarian in Charge
Report investigation
findings
Board of Health
spokesperson
Assure public of low risk of
spread among people
Poultry industry
spokesperson
Assure public that chicken is
safe to eat
Local health professionals,
DVMs, MDs
Answer questions posed by
the public
Message
Anticipating Questions
Public:
• Can I get sick from eating chicken or eggs?
Agriculture producers:
• Are my animals safe?
• How can I insure that I’m not bringing the
virus back to my farm?
Media:
• How soon will you have the outbreak
contained?
Recovery
• Eradication efforts contain the outbreak to a
five county area. Time from detection to control
is three months
• 1.3 million chickens are destroyed as a result
of H5N1 outbreak
• No other human H5N1 cases are found
Risk Communication Part 3
• What is your role as a Risk Communicator
once the outbreak has been contained?
• How would your message change?
• How might you be better prepared for the
next outbreak event?
10 Best Practices in
Risk Communication
1.
Risk and crisis communication is an ongoing process
2.
Conduct pre-event (pre-crisis) planning
3.
Foster partnerships with public
4.
Listen to public’s concern & understand audience
5.
Demonstrate honesty, candor & openness
6.
Collaborate and coordinate with credible sources
7.
Meet the needs of the media and remain accessible
8.
Communicate with compassion, concern & empathy
9.
Accept uncertainty and ambiguity
10. Give people useful actions to do -- must do, should do,
could do