ATLANTA (Nov. 16, 2009) – Sen. Gail Buckner (D-Jonesboro) today hosted a legislative hearing at the State Capitol to assess Georgia’s level of preparedness to handle pandemic situations. Legislators met with the Department of Community Health (DCH), the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and other representatives from the public health arena to learn how they dealt with the recent H1N1 outbreak and what the future holds for emergency preparedness in Georgia.
“The information we’re discussing today is critically important to the health and safety of every Georgian. As legislators, it’s our job to work with all agencies and departments to ensure that citizens are adequately prepared to protect themselves and their families from a widespread outbreak or public health emergency,” Sen. Buckner said. “Direct communication is essential in any pandemic situation, and today’s meeting gave all the stakeholders in public health a chance to understand each other’s needs so that we may provide the best services to our citizens.”
Dr. Patrick O’Neal, chief of DCH’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Division, gave legislators an overall look at how the agency handled the H1N1 outbreak. Despite initial reports that the virus would be severe, the CDC reports that it is no worse than the seasonal flu. Dr. O’Neal said they expect a third of Georgia’s population to catch the H1N1 virus, and that the death rate is expected to be about the same as seasonal flu. Georgia is one of many states that have experienced a high amount of influenza activity, and September saw the greatest spike in H1N1 cases. Yet while there has been a plateau in recent months, Dr. O’Neal cautioned that Georgia could see another wave in the spring. He encouraged legislators to communicate directly with their constituents that the flu is not over, and it is important to get vaccinated to mitigate the spread of the virus.
Sen. Buckner was greatly concerned about the effect that state budget cuts have had on agencies’ ability to provide services to citizens. While DCH and GEMA primarily receive federal funding, both agencies agreed that attention must be paid to the local level. District health offices are the ones that must survive on state funding. Clayton County’s District Health Director, Dr. Alpha Bryan, noted that many local offices are struggling to retain enough staff to serve the growing population. There are only seven public health nurses to serve the 300,000 people of Clayton County. Many district offices rely on volunteers or on staff to work overtime in order to serve patients.
The federal funding for DCH and GEMA does not come without its hardships as well. A majority of the money received is earmarked, sometimes making it difficult for those agencies to fund the programs or projects they need the most. Sen. Buckner plans to introduce a resolution this session to encourage the federal government to lessen these earmarks and allow agencies to distribute the funding where it will be most effective.
“I look forward to a continued partnership with all stakeholders in public health as we further develop a coordinated pandemic response system in Georgia,” added Sen. Buckner. “It’s important to remember that we are still in the midst of an H1N1 outbreak, and I encourage everyone to get vaccinated so that we can stop the spread of this virus. It’s going to take the cooperation of citizens, the state, and its partners to effectively mitigate any kind of statewide or national pandemic.”
Sen. Buckner has been a strong advocate for pandemic preparedness long before the outbreak of the H1N1 virus. During the 2009 session, she sought to create a study committee on Emergency and Pandemic Preparedness and Response to evaluate the state’s emergency response plan, including the need for state and local contingency plans.
Sen. Gail Buckner represents the 44th Senate District, which includes portions of Clayton and Henry counties. She can be reached by phone at 404.463.5260 or email at gail.buckner@senate.ga.gov.
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
November 16, 2009
For Information Contact:
Raegan Weber, Director
Kallarin Richards, Senior Communications Specialist
kallarin.richards@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028