Trust for America's Health Initiatives

Pandemic Flu and Infectious Disease Prevention

Pandemic Flu and Infectious Disease Prevention

Scientists around the globe continue to warn the public about the risk of a potential pandemic influenza outbreak, which typically strikes three to four times a century. Pandemic flu is caused by a strain of flu virus that is capable of producing severe disease and spreading rapidly person-to-person worldwide. Unlike the seasonal flu, a pandemic flu virus poses a novel threat. Since humans have no previously developed immunity against pandemic flu, this virus strain puts most people at high risk of infection. This could result in a large percentage of the world's population being infected by a rapidly spreading virus in a very short period of time. Though considerable progress has been made in the last few years, much more must be done to prepare for a pandemic.

 

Policy and Advocacy

For TFAH position statements and letters, congressional hearings, briefings and testimony, and additional policy and advocacy materials, on Pandemic Flu and Infectious Disease Prevention, click here.

Press Releases

June 20, 2017
Public Health Leaders Make Urgent Joint Call to Protect Prevention and Healthcare Joint Statement from American Public Health Association, Prevention Institute, Public Health Institute and Trust for America’s Health

May 23, 2017
The President’s FY 2018 Budget Proposal Would be Perilous for the Nation’s Health

March 7, 2017
TFAH Statement: Strongly Opposed to the House Obamacare Replacement Bill

February 24, 2017
TFAH Statement on the Draft House Republican Obamacare Replacement Bill: Our Nation’s Health Will Suffer

January 19, 2017
CDC to Lose More than $5 Billion, States to Lose More than $3 Billion to Fight Health Epidemics over Five Years, if the ACA and Prevention and Public Health Fund are Repealed

More press releases

Resources

Selected items from TFAH's Resource Library:

CDC's Pandemic Flu Website "An influenza pandemic is a global outbreak of a new influenza A virus. Pandemics happen when new (novel) influenza A viruses emerge which are able to infect people easily and spread from person to person in an efficient and sustained way. The United States is NOT currently experiencing an influenza pandemic."

A virtual guide of the symptoms of Hepatitis C and how it affects the body Hepatitis C is a viral disease that primarily causes inflammation of the liver, but the effects can be felt throughout the body. Hepatitis C is caused by a virus that is passed through contact with the blood of an infected person. The infection leads to inflammation of the liver.

Addressing the Social Determinants of Health Inequities Among Gay Men & Men Who Have Sex With Men With support from the M·A·C AIDS Fund, TFAH undertook a literature review and convened a one-day consultation to consider strategies to mitigate the social determinants of health inequities among gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM).† Invited participants included research scientists, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)‡ health service providers, public policy advocates, and federal officials.*

Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy Part of the Academic Health Center at the University of Minnesota, CIDRAP fosters the adoption of science-based best practices in public health and conducts original interdisciplinary research.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention--West Nile Virus The Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases includes information with surveillance, statistics and control of west nile virus. The website also includes a map reflecting West Nile Virus activity in the United States.

More resources