When Dr. Alfred DeMaria gave a presentation to the area communities on January 17, in a forum sponsored by the Westford Board of Health on Avian Flu and Pandemics, 30 members of the UMV MRC were among the nearly 100 in the audience at the Westford Academy Auditorium. DeMaria is the Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Bureau of Communicable Disease Control for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and is nationally recognized for his expertise in infectious diseases.

Sandy Collins, MRC Director and Director of Health Care Services, Westford BOH; and Dr. Alfred DeMaria of MDPH, in front of the UMV MRC booth display after the presentation.

“Classic influenza comes with symptoms right away, with a sudden fever, and the person feels awful,” said DeMaria. He discussed the impact of flu pandemics since the dreaded Spanish Flu of 1918, which he cited as “the only year in the 20th century when life expectancy went down,” due to the widespread fatalities. He attested to the cumulative value of getting flu shots, the effectiveness of the flu mist, and protective measures that include hand washing and the use of disinfectants.

Responders and care providers would be vulnerable in the next pandemic, predicted DeMaria. He quoted projections of up to 35 percent absenteeism in the workplace due to illness, accompanied by round-the-clock (“24/7”) media reporting. He advised against developing personal stockpiles of antivirals, especially to avoid resistance of the virus to Tamiflu and other medications.

Rather, DeMaria noted that planning for the next pandemic must include many elements. “Regional plans must prepare for a surge of 500 acutely ill patients,” he explained, adding that hospital staffing could be reduced due to illness in their own households. “That's an example of the value of an MRC: having names on a list to provide surge capacity,” urged DeMaria. “That's REAL.”

Collins utilized the program as an opportunity to invite other audience members to join the UMV MRC. “After hearing this presentation,” said Collins, “people understand what a needed and valuable resource the MRC is to a community.” The open forum also served as a kick-off event for winter 2006 training classes for the unit. Attendance resulted in two CEUs for nurses and two OEMS credits for EMTs at all levels. The forum was also featured in the next day's issue of The Lowell Sun.