11 | 12 | 2007 Posted By Regan Zambri & Long

Emergency Plans for Pandemic Flu Ignore Children: New Report

Children less than 19 years of age account for 46% of all HFN1 ("Bird Flu") deaths, but U.S. emergency preparedness planning focuses almost exclusively on adults, according to a new report issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Trust for America's Health.  Four primary areas of concern identified in the report are the availability of child-appropriate doses of medications, the appropriate treatment of pediatric flu cases, education of children regarding disease containment protocol, and the care of children if daycares and schools are forced to close.

Among other findings, the report notes that:

  • "There are currently only 100,000 courses of antivirals for children in the Strategic National Stockpile. There are currently 73.6 million children in the U.S. A severe pandemic outbreak could result in 25 percent of the U.S. population becoming ill. Children are known to often be disproportionately impacted by contagious respiratory illnesses.
  • Neither of the two antiviral drugs that have been shown effective against H5N1 are licensed for children younger than 1 year of age.
  • A vaccine that is well-matched for a pandemic would not be available for at least 6 months after a major outbreak begins, and tests would have to be conducted to determine safety levels for children and adults once it is available.
  • The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that the public consider using N95 respirator masks in certain circumstances during a pandemic outbreak, however, N95 respirator masks are not currently produced in children's sizes.
  • Approximately 30 million children rely on the National School Lunch Program for meals each day and many rely school nurses for health care, and there are no plans in place to provide these services if schools are closed."

Previously on the DC Metro Area Medical Malpractice Law Blog, we have posted articles related to: