New Web site to focus on information on flu w/ link to area flu vaccination information

By Wally Kennedy

wkennedy@joplinglobe.com

A new Web site — www.jascoflu.com — will become the local clearinghouse for information about this year’s flu season, local flu-vaccination clinics and the threat posed by a killer influenza virus in Southeast Asia.

The Web site, which has been operational for about a month, was unveiled Wednesday to members of the Joplin/Jasper County Pandemic Planning Committee during a meeting at Missouri Southern State University.

The Web site was constructed by PILR Technology, of Duenweg, and is updated regularly by Michelle Price, with the Regional Economic Development Center at the university. The center is assisting the committee in its work to develop a local response plan for a pandemic outbreak of influenza.

The site, which is one component of the response plan, provides information on how to prepare for a pandemic outbreak, offers flu-prevention tips and gives up-to-date reports on the status of flu outbreaks worldwide.

Each year, the flu kills about 36,000 people in the United States. About 200,000 are hospitalized, and most of them are elderly. With a pandemic, there could be 2 million deaths and 10 million hospitalizations, according to Gregory Evans, a public health expert at Saint Louis University.

Dan Pekarek, director of the Joplin Health Department, said the Web site will be updated regularly, if not daily, and will include as much local information as possible.

Price’s effort with the Web site was praised by members of the committee who said it will be an invaluable resource in helping the community understand the gravity of a pandemic and how to plan for it. Pekarek said the site has “general preparedness” measures that could apply to an ice storm or a tornado.

The committee also looked at some public service announcements for television that were produced by the Florida Department of Health. The announcements encourage hand-washing and coughing into your arm instead of your hand to curtail the spread of airborne viruses. Those PSAs are to air in the future.

The committee also looked at PSAs with similar themes that were produced by Lisa Olliges and Lynn Onstot, members of the committee, in cooperation with KOAM-TV. Those PSAs are airing locally.

Pekarek said the committee is expecting to hear soon from state health officials about this year’s funding of the committee’s work. Last year, the city received about $20,000 for the planning, while the county received $25,000.

The money has been used to construct the Web site and stage local pandemic planning conferences. Pekarek said the money this year will target pandemic preparation as it applies to faith-based organizations and businesses. Local schools benefited from last year’s planning, he said.