PANDEMIC FLU FAQs

How would a pandemic flu affect normal, everyday life?

During a severe pandemic, there would be: [14]

• large surges in the numbers of people needing medical or hospital treatment
• overwhelmed health services
• sudden and high rates of worker absenteeism
• interruption of essential services, such as law enforcement, transportation, and communications [10]
• short supply and inadequate distribution of vaccines, antiviral agents and antibiotics (to treat secondary infections)
• a lag time of several months before any vaccine becomes available

In individual communities, the effect of the flu will be relatively prolonged when compared to other natural disasters because outbreaks will probably reoccur.[14]

 
Important Safety Information About RELENZA

• Serious cases of bronchospasm, including fatalities, have been reported during treatment with RELENZA in patients with and without underlying airway disease. Many of these cases were reported during postmarketing, and causality was difficult to assess
  
• RELENZA SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED IN ANY PATIENT WHO DEVELOPS BRONCHOSPASM OR DECLINE IN RESPIRATORY FUNCTION; immediate treatment and hospitalization may be required
  
• Safety and efficacy have not been demonstrated in patients with high-risk underlying medical conditions
  
• Patients should be instructed in the use of the delivery system. Instructions should include a demonstration whenever possible
  
• If treatment with RELENZA is considered for a patient with underlying airway disease, the potential risks and benefits should be carefully weighed. If a decision is made to prescribe RELENZA for such a patient, this should be done only under conditions of careful monitoring of respiratory function, close observation, and appropriate supportive care including availability of fast-acting bronchodilators
  
• Common adverse events in treatment and prophylaxis studies with RELENZA were nausea, diarrhea, sinusitis, viral respiratory infections, headaches, nasal signs and symptoms. The incidence of these adverse events was similar in both groups for RELENZA and placebo-treated groups
  
• Please see complete Prescribing Information for RELENZA