A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity, and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily person-to-person, causes serious illness, and can sweep across the country and around the world in very short time. There have been three pandemic outbreaks in the last 100 years killing 800,000 people here in the United States and over 50 million worldwide.
During an outbreak, reduce the risk of becoming infected or infecting others by avoiding crowded settings, washing your hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based cleaner, covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing and properly discarding used tissues. Be sure to stockpile extra food and water in case you cannot get to the store or if they run out of supplies. If you must come in contact with a sick person, don protective gear.
