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"Pandemics are global in nature but their effects are always
local, so I am pleased that Governor Blagojevich is spotlighting the
importance of preparing Illinois for this threat," Leavitt said.
"Pandemic planning needs to address how schools, businesses, public
agencies, faith-based organizations and others participate in
pandemic preparedness. With this meeting, local officials can
identify needs specific to Illinois communities and begin crucial
coordination to assure readiness if a pandemic outbreak strikes."
Blagojevich said: "Every city, every state and -- most
importantly -- the federal government must be prepared. We will
continue to do everything we can -- and then some -- to prepare for
the possibility of pandemic flu. Our responsibility to the people of
Illinois requires nothing less."
In the planning resolution, the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services commits to providing guidance and technical
assistance to Illinois; a $2,878,268 initial amount of financial
assistance for planning, of which Chicago will receive $1,197,706;
and agrees to review the state and city's plans for use, storage and
distribution of antivirals and notify the state of its portion of
the federal stockpile of pandemic influenza antiviral drugs.
Illinois agrees to assure that its operational plan for pandemic
influenza response is an integral element of the overall state and
local emergency response plan and to establish a Pandemic
Preparedness Coordinating Committee representing all relevant
stakeholders. The state will also exercise its preparedness plan at
both the state and city level within six months of the summit.
Leavitt outlined a series of in-state summits to address pandemic
preparedness Dec. 5. Invited guests include first responders,
business leaders, educators, health care providers, faith-based
organizations, volunteer agencies, policymakers and others.
The in-state summits will help the public health and emergency
response community in each state to inform and involve their
political, economic and community leadership in this process.
Leavitt and other top officials in his department will participate
in the meetings over the next few months. The federal department has
also prepared tools to help with the planning process, including a
state and local checklist, a business checklist, a guide for
individuals and families, and a checklist for faith-based
organizations. The guides were distributed at the summit.
More information on pandemic flu readiness is available at
www.pandemicflu.gov.
The agreement signed Friday by
Blagojevich and Leavitt reads as follows:
Planning Resolution
between Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt and
Governor Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois
Whereas:
1. Influenza
pandemics have occurred three times in the last century, and history
and science suggest that the country and the world could face one or
more pandemics in this century;
2. A pandemic can
cause severe illness, death and disruption throughout the country
and the world, and outbreaks can occur in multiple locations
simultaneously;
3. Preparing for an
influenza pandemic requires coordinated action at all levels of
government - federal, state, local, tribal - and all sectors of
society, including businesses, schools, faith-based and community
organizations, families and individuals;
4. The government
has committed to taking a leadership role in creating a prepared
Nation by monitoring international and domestic outbreaks, providing
funding and technical assistance to foster local and state
preparedness, stockpiling and distributing countermeasures,
developing new treatments, and coordinating the national response;
5. The Secretary of
the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has
committed to holding pandemic planning summits in all 50 states,
assisting states to improve their level of preparedness;
6. President George
W. Bush asked Congress for emergency spending authority to prepare
the United States for the possibility of a pandemic. The Congress
has provided over $3 billion for that purpose in the Defense
Appropriations Act for 2006, including funding for state and local;
7. States and local
communities are responsible under their own authorities for
responding to an outbreak within their jurisdictions.
8. Consistent with
its statutory authorities, direction from Congress, and Departmental
regulations and policy, and subject to available funding, HHS will
provide Illinois with an initial amount of financial assistance for
the purposes of pandemic planning. Terms and conditions of such
assistance will state that additional amounts will depend upon
achievement of specific preparedness goals as agreed to by HHS and
Illinois, including a self-assessment of readiness on the part of
Illinois. Consistent with its authorities and availability of
funding, HHS may provide additional resources to the states with the
intent of (1) stopping, slowing or otherwise limiting the spread of
a pandemic to the United States; (2) limiting the domestic spread of
a pandemic, and mitigating disease, suffering and death;
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 9. Preparedness
plans must be continuously exercised, tested and updated to ensure
that they work to achieve a higher level of preparedness; and
10. Pandemic
preparedness will help communities deal with various types of
medical emergencies and will have lasting benefits for the health of
our Nation;
11. HHS and
ILLINOIS share common goals, and have shared and independent
responsibilities for influenza planning and preparedness.
Be it resolved,
1. HHS will be
responsible for:
a) Continuing to
provide substantial guidance and technical assistance to ILLINOIS as
it prepares to respond to a possible influenza pandemic. Among other
things, HHS, and its operating divisions, coordinates pandemic
response activities with state, local and tribal public health and
health care agencies; supports state pandemic planning efforts;
communicates and disseminates timely influenza pandemic information
and technical guidance to state and local public health departments
and health care agencies; and provides direct support and technical
guidance for epidemiological investigations and diagnostic services
through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
b) Consistent with
its statutory authorities, direction from Congress, and Departmental
regulations and policy, and subject to available funding, providing
States with financial assistance through funds appropriated as part
of the FY 2006 Defense Appropriations Act for the purposes of
pandemic planning. Although a portion of those funds will be made
available to ILLINOIS immediately upon receipt of a self assessment
of readiness, receipt by ILLINOIS of additional amounts will depend
upon achievement of specific preparedness goals as agreed to by HHS
and ILLINOIS.
c) Within six
months, of reviewing ILLINOIS' plans for use, the storage and
distribution of antivirals and providing notification to ILLINOIS of
its portion of the federal stockpile of pandemic influenza antiviral
drugs.
2. ILLINOIS will be
responsible for:
a) Augmenting state
and local planning with a State and Local Pandemic Preparedness
Summit.
b) Updating
ILLINOIS' pandemic influenza plans based on guidance given in the
HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan and the National Strategy for Pandemic
Influenza both released in November 2005 and any guidance the
Secretary may provide concerning the use of countermeasures
necessary to address a pandemic.
c) Assuring that
the operational plan for pandemic influenza response is an integral
element of the overall state and local emergency response plan that
will coordinate effectively with Emergency Support Function 8,
Health and Medical Services, of the National Response Plan and the
National Incident Management System.
d) Establishing a
Pandemic Preparedness Coordinating Committee that represents all
relevant stakeholders in the jurisdiction (including governmental,
public health, healthcare, emergency response, agriculture,
education, business, communication, community based, and faith-based
sectors, as well as private citizens) and that will assist the State
in articulating strategic priorities and overseeing the development
and execution of the jurisdiction's operational pandemic plan.
e) No later than
July 1, 2006 notifying HHS of the amount, if any, of additional
pandemic influenza antiviral drugs that ILLINOIS will plan to
purchase in coordination with HHS, subject to the availability of
funding.
f) Exercising the
ILLINOIS' preparedness plan within six months of the date of the
state planning summit between the HHS Secretary and the Governor of
ILLINOIS, and participating in a nationwide pandemic planning
exercise within twelve months of that date. These planning and
response exercises should enable public health and law enforcement
officials to establish procedures and locations for quarantine,
surge capacity, diagnostics, and communication.
g) Providing CDC a
self-assessment of readiness on the part of ILLINOIS to receive a
portion of funds referenced in 1.b) immediately.
h) Achieving
specific preparedness goals, targets, and timelines as agreed to by
HHS, CDC and ILLINOIS in order to receive additional funds
referenced in 1.b).
Dated this 17th day
of March, 2006.
[News release from the governor's
office and the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services]
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