If and when a pandemic illness comes to Whiteside County, the health department will not have enough mask and gloves for everyone to protect themselves.

That and other important information were offered by Beth Fiorini, public health administrator for Whiteside County, Thursday evening at a Pandemic Planning meeting conducted for public officials.

“It’s time to let the public officials in on what we are doing,” said Beth Fiorini, “Next week we’re going to have one for restaurant owners.” Public officials from Sterling, Rock Falls, Morrison and Whiteside County attended the gathering at Sterling Coliseum, along with members of the Lincoln Land Chapter of the American Red Cross and Whiteside County Emergency Task Force.

With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention having recently reported identified two infected fowl in Maryland, the threat of a real pandemic draws closer, even though no bird-to-person flu cases have been recorded. Isolation and quarantine are the two best tools available to containing a pandemic from spreading, and should schools and public gathering places need to be closed, the Public Health Administrator has that authority, Fiorini said.

“It could very well happen that we will close a lot of areas, with a need to disrupt the spread through face-to-face contact,” she said. “We can close down a restaurant when it is important for the benefit of public health.” Basketball games and movie theaters can be closed to stop the spread of a contagious virus.

A pandemic could require the closing of schools and disrupt regular business practices for a month to two months until the complete cycle passes.

“That’s the way you need to break the cycle. You need to have quarantine,” Fiorini said.

Fiorini said any closing of businesses or schools would only occur following input from the CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Public officials were told the health department cannot afford to purchase protective masks (about $1 each) and gloves for everyone. The masks, the N-95 model or surgical if nothing else, are used for one day before being tossed. And these supplies should be ordered now before a pandemic hits somewhere in the United States and everyone places orders.

Whiteside County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Larry R. Van Dyke, also a Task Force member, said it was important for public officials to support the health department and follow its lead to get through.

The health department will conduct another meeting for restaurant and supermarket owners at 7 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Coliseum. Anyone else is also invited to attend.

Whiteside County Health Department