If this had been a real (swine flu) emergency ...

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Looking back on the recent -- and still ongoing -- outbreak of H1N1 swine flu, we can give federal officials a pat on the back for doing what we pay them to do and for responding to shifting circumstances with aplomb, but no one can rest on laurels. Next time around, we could be in real trouble.

Such seems to be the summary from ‘Pandemic Flu: Lessons From the Frontlines,’ a report issued today by the Trust for America’s Health, the Center for Biosecurity and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The top 10 lessons, and I quote:

* Investments in pandemic planning and stockpiling antiviral medications paid off;

* Public health departments did not have enough resources to carry out plans;

* Response plans must be adaptable and science-driven;

* Providing clear, straightforward information to the public was essential for allaying fears and building trust;

* School closings have major ramifications for students, parents and employers;

* Sick leave and policies for limiting mass gatherings were also problematic;

* Even with a mild outbreak, the health care delivery system was overwhelmed;

* Communication between the public health system and health providers was not well coordinated;

* World Health Organization pandemic alert phases caused confusion;

* International coordination was more complicated than expected.

Whet your appetite for reflective analysis? Here’s the full report. And here’s the short version.

-- Tami Dennis