The Seattle Times: County prepares for influenza

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Dorothy Teeter is interim director of Public Health.

King County officials ramped up preparations for a possible pandemic influenza yesterday with efforts to better engage local businesses about their roles.

Representatives of more than 50 large businesses and others have been invited to meet Oct. 3 at Safeco Field to discuss ways to prepare for an epidemic.

Top health officials warn that the epidemic, which could stem from the bird flu that has swept through Asia since late 2003, could kill up to 200,000 in the U.S., including 3,000 in King County, and could immobilize more than one-third of the work force at any given time.

"It's not going to be business as usual for anyone," King County Executive Ron Sims said at a news conference yesterday. "I'm determined we will be as prepared as possible if we face the type of outbreak public-health experts say is possible."

Public Health — Seattle & King County leaders have been planning for the epidemic for more than a year, meeting with emergency, hospital and government officials. But some health officials have said privately they've had trouble getting the attention of business leaders.

A pandemic flu is a new influenza virus that could be a much more serious flu virus than seen in a typical flu season, according to Public Health.

Sims and Dorothy Teeter, interim director of Public Health, said up to 1.2 million King County residents could be infected, including 25 to 35 percent of the work force at any one time.

Businesses need to prepare to operate with employees out sick, or with others working from home to avoid infection or to care for family members, Teeter said.

Telecommuting is one option, she said. Officials are meeting individually with some large businesses and local chambers of commerce.

Last month, Dr. Maxine Hayes, a state health officer, gave a similar warning to hundreds of business leaders at a Rotary Club of Seattle meeting.

"Senior management needs to think about inventory, transportation, distribution," she said. "This is not like a few snow days. ... You need contingency planning if you had to shut down for several months."

No human cases of avian influenza have been reported in the U.S., but 109 people in Asia have been infected by chickens, and 55 of them have died. Experts say the virus, labeled H5N1, could rapidly spread from human to human if it were to combine with an existing human flu virus.

Teeter said epidemic-control measures also could include closing public gathering places, including schools, sports arenas, theaters, restaurants and taverns. Representatives of school districts, fire and police departments also will be at the Safeco Field meeting, she said.

Officials already have met with hospitals, urging them to prepare for more than 5,000 hospitalizations and 450,000 outpatient visits. Hospitals and private doctors have been warned to watch for early signs of an outbreak.

And discussions are beginning with other health-care providers about alternative ways to care for patients, Teeter said.