Swine Flu

 

Below is the guidance first sent out in March 2006 to all Ministry Units when Bird Flu was thought to be a real possibility. (This is also downloadable in .pdf form: Swine Flu Pandemic Information.pdf ). Although the probable source of the flu has changed, the guidance and recommendations remain the same. This information was also sent out to all ministry unit Vestry Secretaries and Administration on 1 May 2009.

Hopefully the systems put in place by Ministry Units in 2006 will still be current. Ministry Units should have good supplies of handwash gel available and the Ministry of Health website www.moh.govt.nz should be visited at regular intervals for up to date guidance and information.

Kind Regards,

Geoff Clark
Diocesan Secretary

GETTING READY FOR A FLU PANDEMIC

Encourage Parishioners to be good citizens

Use the resources provided by central and local government. As a guide we attach three such items:

  • Ministry of Health: Information about Influenza
  • Ministry of Health: Getting ready for a Pandemic
  • Brochure: Getting ready for a Flu Pandemic

These are able to be downloaded: MOH Flu Pandemic Information.pdf. The Ministry of Health offers a range of other resources: www.moh.govt.nz/influenza-a-h1n1.

  • Offer training sessions - co-operate with local Civil Defence.
  • Check Parish First Aid kits - are they fully stocked, with all items up to date? Do you have trained First Aid people?
  • Build up links with local health, welfare, safety networks, funeral directors, etc.
  • Ensure that people are aware of the information supplied by the Ministry of Health.
  • Should you offer the use of your church(es) as community assessment centres if the hospitals are overflowing?

Encourage people to prepare for an emergency

The Ministry of Health suggests five things:

  1. Have a plan, talk to friends and family about their plans. Write a list of things you need to remember.
  2. Talk to you family and friends about hygiene - hand washing and drying, safe coughing and sneezing.
  3. Make sure you have an emergency survival kit, and a week's supply of essential supplies - non-perishable food, plenty of fluids. Refer to the Civil Defence information on the inside back cover of the Yellow Pages.
  4. Include paracetamol (for fever) in your home emergency survival kit.
  5. Have a plan for what you will do if you have to stay at home during a pandemic.

Getting our own house in order

  • All ministry units and Anglican institutions should ensure that lines of authority are clear.
  • Identify back-up clergy, church wardens, lay ministers, etc. (In other words, who will stand in if someone is unavailable?)
  • Archdeacons should ensure that they have full contact details for clergy, church wardens, lay ministers, etc.
  • Make sure that website details are accurate and up to date.
  • Ensure that answer phone message are clear and up to date.
  • Consider the use of telephone trees.
  • Divide the parish into geographic areas and develop local contact lists.
  • Identify essential parish functions (eg. food bank, pastoral care teams) and ensure that they are staffed adequately.
  • Procure the recommended protection kits and emergency supplies kit.

Pastoral Support

The most important thing we can offer is hope.
Clergy can offer public reassurance by being around and able to be identified.

Ministry units are encouraged to:

  • Stockpile non-perishable food items.
  • Use paper hand towels, use tissues rather than communal towels.
  • Hold next-of-kin details, especially for parishioners who live alone.
  • Establish neighbourhood pastoral care networks on a small scale, walking distance basis. Identify a contact person within each network.
  • Distribute Care Cards with essential information - telephone trees, pastoral contacts, prayer contacts etc.
  • Build up and equip lay ministry networks.
  • Identify and brief lay people who can provide telephone support and prayer for those who are fearful or distressed.

Liturgical and Sacramental Support

  • Train lay ministers to offer appropriate support and prayer, lead memorial services etc.
  • Each home should have a copy of "A New Zealand Prayer Book" and a Bible.
  • Promote "Midday Prayer" (NZPB, Pg 147) as a dispersed community activity. Ring the church bell to indicate this.
  • If the situation becomes serious enough, it may be necessary for communion to be offered in one kind only. Be very aware of hygiene - distribute only after using alcohol hand wash gel or similar.
  • There is to be no passing of the peace or physical contact.
  • If anointing people for healing wash/wipe hands between people.
  • Encourage people not to sit too close together in gatherings.
  • When ministering with the ill, dying etc, take appropriate hygiene precautions - wear a mask, use alcohol solution for hands etc.
  • Be aware of health protocols in situations of death and prepare families appropriately. Use NZPB, especially "Prayers before a Funeral" (NZPB, Pg 822).
  • Mass burial or cremation may be necessary if large numbers of deaths occur. Offering memorial services once people are able to gather together again will be very necessary.

Prayers during an emergency

If the flu pandemic strikes, people will be encouraged not to mingle with others. Schools will be closed. Shops may not be open. Church services may be forbidden (the 1918 influenza epidemic got worse because people kept on going to church!).

If this happens, anxiety levels will rise. People will look for spiritual resources to help them. People will have to find spiritual resources in their own homes. Our Prayer Book is a rich resource - remind people now of some of the treasure it contains:

Daily prayers to give structure to the day. People will have more time for thinking and reflection:

  • Daily Devotions (NZPB, Pg 104-137)
  • Midday Prayer (NZPB, Pg 147-166)
  • Night Prayer (NZPB, Pg 167-186)
  • The Psalms (NZPB, Pg 198-374)

For families with young children:

  • Family Prayer (NZPB, Pg 187-191)
  • The Family Liturgy in The Blessing of a Home (NZPB, Pg 771)

When a family member is seriously ill:

  • The people's blessing in The Ministry of Healing (NZPB, Pg 745)
  • Prayers for use in Critical Situations (NZPB, Pg 747-748)

If a family member is dying:

  • Prayer at Time of Death (NZPB, Pg 813-821)

If a family member dies and their body needs to be removed for burial:

  • Prayer before a Funeral (NZPB, Pg 822-825) may be used until a memorial service can be held at a later date.

After the crisis

Once the danger is over it will be important for ministry units to acknowledge the grief and trauma of the situation. Resources produced after September 11 and the Tsunami may offer a guide.

We are grateful to the Ministry of Health and the Dioceses of Wellington and Christchurch for much of the information included in this resource.

Advice on Safe Eucharistic Practice

  1. Please ensure that every person who is handling the eucharistic elements uses an appropriate antiseptic or anti-bacterial hand wash immediately prior to the actual handling of the elements.
  2. Inform people that they do not need to take the chalice, and that reception of the bread alone is quite sufficient.
  3. Investigate the possibility of using small individual receptacles for the consecrated wine.
  4. Do not use pottery or ceramic vessels.
  5. Ensure that eucharistic vessels (both chalice and paten) are thoroughly scalded and cleansed before and after use.
  6. Advise parishioners with flu symptoms to request home communion with the reserved sacrament.