Flu Preparedness Guidelines for Faith Communities:

A new resource from the National Council of Churches:

H1N1BestPracticesforCongregation.pdf

Click below for a Guide from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services' Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships on flu preparedness. 

This guide, developed in Sept. 2009, helps faith communities and other community organizations address issues such as:  

• Communicating important information about flu,
• Supporting vaccination efforts,
• Linking vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations to vital information and resources,
• Expanding and adjusting organizational activities to help people stay healthy

http://flu.gov/professional/community/cfboguidance.pdf

For the latest news from Maine's Center for Disease Control, click on the following links:

 www.mainepublichealth.gov.

The following link (from the Episcopal Church's disaster relief organization, Episcopal Relief and Development) has good information and resources to help churches cope with an influenza outbreak.

http://www.er-d.org/relevantpandemicfluresources/

Click below for a document called "Ministry and Hope during a Pandemic Influenza," written specifically to help faith-based communities.  Prepared and presented by J. Lewis Saylor, the material was first presented to religious community leaders in May, 2007 during a conference hosted by the Fairfax County Health Department, Fairfax County Community Interfaith Liaison Office, and Faith Communities In Action (Fairfax County).  Since that time, there have been revisions to the text.  Topics include an overview of pandemic flu information, planning your approach by identifying relationships within the church and community, asking questions/raising issues, assembling a plan and essential first steps.  Thank you to Mr. Saylor for sharing this material with the Maine Council of Churches.  

 Pan Flu guide - REVISED.pdf