What is the State doing?
The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR) is the state agency charged with overseeing the health response to disasters occurring within the borders of West Virginia. WV Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety (WVDMAPS) is in charge of the overall emergency response. In WVDMAPS, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management oversees primary response efforts.
Within WVDHHR, the WV Bureau for Public Health, Division of Threat Preparedness facilitates advance planning and preparation for health disasters.
Governor Joe Manchin has appointed a Pandemic Flu Working Group to prepare West Virginia for a pandemic influenza outbreak. State agencies, municipalities, hospitals, health care providers, businesses, industries and community leaders are working together to minimize the effect of an influenza pandemic on everyday life. We are:
- Developing cross state agency preparedness and response plans.
- Helping communities in development of local plans.
- With local communities, developing plans to distribute vaccine when and if it is available during a pandemic.
- Developing plans to distribute antivirals that would be sent from federal stockpiles. Undertaking state purchase of antiviral medications.
- Helping health care facilities plan for a patient load much larger than normal with short staffing.
- Helping businesses prepare to keep their critical operations going.
- Planning to ensure that essential supplies to the state do not stop.
- Tracking the occurrence of flu like illness in our state.