Lack of Pandemic Education

Pandemics occur when infections, diseases, or plagues quickly spread over vast distances and through large populations. Unless they have been trained, first responders, medical care providers, and hospitals and clinics don't know how to respond to pandemics, because such emergencies do not occur frequently or in predictable schedules. In order to recognize and respond to potential emergencies, it is important that health care personnel be taught about pandemics.

Scientists are investigating the importance of education in pandemic-control, and here are links to some of their reports.

The study, led by Terri Rebmann, Ph.D., associate professor at SLU's Institute for Biosecurity, surveyed about 2000 nurses working in elementary, middle and high schools across 26 states. The findings reveal that only 48 percent of schools address pandemic preparedness and only 40 percent of schools have updated their plans since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic that spread illnesses in more than 214 countries.