As our active duty and TRICARE members received their flu shots Thursday in the headquarters, I am reminded that the flu season is upon us. Whether it’s an uncommon strain such as H1N1 or just the latest seasonal influenza, the flu is a real threat to our mission, our families, and our way of life at home and across our nation.
Even with the world’s best doctors, nurses and medical facilities, each year thousands of Americans die from the flu, which means defeating the flu threat is more than just an organizational responsibility. We all have the responsibility to take measures to protect ourselves, our families and others from infection.
While NORAD must be ready to respond to air threats, and provide for missile and maritime warning, USNORTHCOM’s Job #1 is homeland defense. The health of our forces is critical to do both commands’ missions. Under the National Response Framework, USNORTHCOM could be called upon to assist a primary federal agency such as the Department of Health and Human Services in response to a crisis like pandemic influenza. Now, more than ever, the health and welfare of our service members, civilians, contractors and the families who support them is incredibly important as we prepare to respond if called upon to assist.
At home we must each do our part. Thanks to the 21st Medical Group, we brought the flu vaccine right to the office for all the NORAD and USNORTHCOM active duty and TRICARE members. We’ve placed hand sanitizer dispensers in major traffic areas, and we continue to encourage the staff to frequently wash or sanitize their hands. In addition, should H1N1 surge as is anticipated, we are prepared to implement a social distancing program within the headquarters to slow the spread of the virus.
At home and day-to-day, our families can take similar actions to protect against infection. The first defense is the seasonal flu vaccine; ensuring everyone in your family is vaccinated. Encourage family members to frequently wash their hands with soap and water and use hand sanitizers between washes. Remember the old motherly wisdom: cough or sneeze into your sleeve; ; maintain a safe distance from sick people (the CDC recommends six feet); and get plenty of rest and exercise -- a fit body is a healthy body. But most importantly, if you are sick, stay home and avoid contact with other people.
At the very least, flu season is an annoyance but together we can act to keep it from becoming deadly. We shall maintain the ability of NORAD and USNORTHCOM to respond as a military force dedicated to defending our skies, defending our homelands and providing support to civil authorities if necessary.
Cheers,
Gene