Is Pandemic Influenza different from the Bird Flu (also called Avian Influenza or H5N1)?

A Pandemic is defined as the rapid spread of disease from person to person, causing serious illness. The disease can spread through the entire population of a country and around the world in a short period of time.

Influenza is the medical name for the flu virus.

Pandemic Influenza refers to a strain of the flu virus that becomes a pandemic.

Avian Influenza (also called the Bird Flu) refers to a specific strain of influenza found in birds. The current strain being tracked is named H5N1 for it’s genetic make-up. So far, Bird Flu (Avian Influenza or H5N1) only spreads from bird to bird. If it begins to infect people, human to human contact could cause a Pandemic.

Does it make more sense yet?

If not, there is a reliable website you can visit for more information. Go to columbuspandemicflu.com.

It’s difficult to predict when or if a pandemic will occur, or how severe it could be.

What we DO know, is that it’s important to be prepared!

Make a plan, make an emergency kit, and listen to your local media for instructions during an emergency.

Look at our Ready in 3 topics for planning and emergency kit checklists.