An H5N1 Pandemic: The Virginia Tech Campus as a Model of State, National, and Global Emergency Preparedness

Experts suggest the likelihood of another human influenza pandemic to be high, or maybe even inevitable. There’s a good chance that it could be H5N1, and the possible effects are worrisome. No one can know for sure when the next pandemic will occur. A pandemic has no regard for borders; once it begins, it has serious economic implications all levels. Organizations at all levels have put programs in place to prepare for such an event, and models allow them to better prepare by estimating illnesses, hospitalizations, deaths, and other factors pertinent to public health. Virginia Tech, a community in itself, will not be except from the fallout, and must ensure preparedness with regard to resources, expertise, and services in order to mitigate the effects of a full-blown pandemic.