The swine flu emergency neednβt become a crisis. This critically acclaimed work provides public health officials, doctors, responders, and emergency planners with accurate current information that will help them understand the nature of an outbreak, assess risk, answer public concerns, and develop informed strategies. Devoid of sensationalism and agenda, this CRC Press resource provides all the information needed to understand pandemic influenzas including, avian, swine, and human variations and outlines the steps needed to develop and implement prevention, stabilization, and recovery efforts as needed at the local level. "... an amazing resource ... Dr. Ryan has assembled some of the best experts in the field to guide you in understanding the threat of pandemic influenza and how it can affect you and the people you are responsible for. ..."Β --From the foreword by Lynn A. Slepski, Captain, United States Public Health Service Make certain your response to Swine Flu is proactive and informed Edited by Jeffrey Ryan, Institute for Emergency Preparedness, this volume β Arms planners and responders with guidance from 13 leading experts Takes lessons from past pandemics Covers biological and clinical aspects of influenza Discusses pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical measures Details response actions related to communication, travel, and quarantine While the swine flu outbreak has impacted Mexico; influenza has no respect for boundaries and is already being felt up north. Despite warnings from the World Health Organization, our preparedness continues to lag. Part of the problem is that the real action must occur at the local level. Triage, care, and containment, along with maintenance of infrastructure, are functions that must be carried out by local planners and responders. The first section reviews the history of pandemics. The middle chapters examine the biology of a virus and clinical aspects of influenza. The final chapters examine international and federal programs and discuss response at the local level, including service continuation planning and fatality management.