Pittsburgh Influenza Prevention Project

Pandemic influenza threatens to cause substantial disability, death, and societal disruption and to overwhelm health care systems in the United States and around the world. Because effective vaccines may not be available during the initial months of a pandemic, and because anti-viral medication is both largely ineffective and in short supply, non-pharmacological personal protection and behavioral changes may be the only means to combat the epidemic. In our computational modeling work (through the Models of Infectious Disease Agent Study network), we have shown the potential value of multiple targeted and layered non-pharmacological interventions in blunting the peak impact and slowing of a pandemic (Nature, in press).

Phase 1 of the project will be a pilot study in two elementary schools in the City of Pittsburgh. The project has already obtained agreement to collaborate from the Pittsburgh Public School System and we have assembled a multi-disciplinary team of epidemiologists, systems analysts, modelers, community and minority health workers, and virologists to implement the project. Phase one was in 2 schools.

Phase 2 will be similar to Phase 1 with the addition of additional schools and application of a "hygiene" intervention to selected schools and families. Phase 2 is in 10 schools with 3800 students.

Specific aims (year 02):

Primary