By Maria Carter
Kansas City, MO – Flu season is just around the corner, but local residents are being asked to think about how they would react in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak. KCUR's Maria Carter reports about how their input will be used to influence local plans.
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A widespread, pandemic flu can potentially disrupt the entire community as people from all walks of life and all areas become seriously ill at the same time. Planning for how to stop the spread of influenza and treat the illness in the case of a pandemic is important, but Dan Blom of One KC Voice says making sure people will follow those plans is just as important.
Dan Blom: We want citizens to come to the table to talk about their daily lives. The issues, the concerns, the values, motivations that are going to be driving their behavior in the case of a pandemic.
And once citizens' reactions are collected, local health departments will use the information to revise pandemic flu plans. A meeting will be held this morning in Independence, and other meetings will happen throughout the area over the next two weeks.
For locations and times on meetings about pandemic flu, click here.