Denise, a medical assistant in Chicago, has just been informed that a new strain of the influenza is expected to affect the city's residents within the next few weeks

This same strain has been hitting surrounding cities and has been the cause of multiple deaths among the elderly. Discuss proactive measures that Denise can take to help make the impending emergency easier to deal with when it actually occurs.
What will be an ideal response?

ANSWER: Denise should begin by creating a separate emergency kit for the pandemic emergency. Denise can include items that will specifically be needed during the time of the emergency, such as masks, syringes, needles, biohazard bags, bandages, water, over the counter anti-inflammatory drugs and examination gloves, for example. Denise will need to review kit's contents to make sure the items have not expired. Denise should also have the telephone numbers and Web site information for local and state health departments and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Denise should also stay alert to treatment guidelines and updates as they become available from government agencies and always make mandatory reporting of infectious disease to the proper authorities when required to do so.