FAITH-BASED & COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST

The collaboration of Faith-Based and Community Organizations with public health agencies will be essential in 

protecting the public’s health and safety if and when an influenza pandemic occurs. This checklist provides guidance 

for religious organizations (churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, etc.), social service agencies that are faithbased, and community organizations in developing and improving influenza pandemic response and preparedness 

plans. Many of the points suggested here can improve your organization’s ability to protect your community during 

emergencies in general. You can find more information at www.pandemicflu.gov.

1. Plan for the impact of a pandemic on your organization and its mission:

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Assign key staff with the authority to develop, maintain and act upon an influenza pandemic 

preparedness and response plan.

Determine the potential impact of a pandemic on your organization’s usual activities and services. Plan 

for situations likely to require increasing, decreasing or altering the services your organization delivers.

Determine the potential impact of a pandemic on outside resources that your organization depends on to 

deliver its services (e.g., supplies, travel, etc.)

Outline what the organizational structure will be during an emergency and revise periodically. The 

outline should identify key contacts with multiple back-ups, role and responsibilities, and who is 

supposed to report to whom.

Identify and train essential staff (including full-time, part-time and unpaid or volunteer staff) needed to 

carry on your organization’s work during a pandemic. Include back up plans, cross-train staff in other 

jobs so that if staff are sick, others are ready to come in to carry on the work.

Test your response and preparedness plan using an exercise or drill, and review and revise your plan as 

needed.

2. Communicate with and educate your staff, members, and persons in the communities that you serve:

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Find up-to-date, reliable pandemic information and other public health advisories from state and local 

health departments, emergency management agencies, and CDC. Make this information available to 

your organization and others.

Distribute materials with basic information about pandemic influenza: signs and symptoms, how it is 

spread, ways to protect yourself and your family (e.g., respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette), family 

preparedness plans, and how to care for ill persons at home.

When appropriate, include basic information about pandemic influenza in public meetings (e.g. 

sermons, classes, trainings, small group meetings and announcements).

Share information about your pandemic preparedness and response plan with staff, members, and 

persons in the communities that you serve.

Develop tools to communicate information about pandemic status and your organization’s actions. This 

might include websites, flyers, local newspaper announcements, pre-recorded widely distributed phone 

messages, etc. 

Consider your organization’s unique contribution to addressing rumors, misinformation, fear and 

anxiety.

Advise staff, members, and persons in the communities you serve to follow information provided by 

public health authorities--state and local health departments, emergency management agencies, and 

CDC. 

Ensure that what you communicate is appropriate for the cultures, languages and reading levels of your 

staff, members, and persons in the communities that you serve.

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3. Plan for the impact of a pandemic on your staff, members, and the communities that you serve:

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Plan for staff absences during a pandemic due to personal and/or family illnesses, quarantines, and 

school, business, and public transportation closures. Staff may include full-time, part-time and volunteer 

personnel.

Work with local health authorities to encourage yearly influenza vaccination for staff, members, and 

persons in the communities that you serve.

Evaluate access to mental health and social services during a pandemic for your staff, members, and 

persons in the communities that you serve; improve access to these services as needed.

Identify persons with special needs (e.g. elderly, disabled, limited English speakers) and be sure to 

include their needs in your response and preparedness plan. Establish relationships with them in 

advance so they will expect and trust your presence during a crisis.

4. Set up policies to follow during a pandemic:

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Set up policies for non-penalized staff leave for personal illness or care for sick family members during 

a pandemic. 

Set up mandatory sick-leave policies for staff suspected to be ill, or who become ill at the worksite. 

Employees should remain at home until their symptoms resolve and they are physically ready to return 

to duty (Know how to check up-to-date CDC recommendations).

Set up policies for flexible work hours and working from home.

Evaluate your organization’s usual activities and services (including rites and religious practices if 

applicable) to identify those that may facilitate virus spread from person to person. Set up policies 

to modify these activities to prevent the spread of pandemic influenza (e.g. guidance for respiratory 

hygiene and cough etiquette, and instructions for persons with influenza symptoms to stay home rather 

than visit in person.) 

Follow CDC travel recommendations during an influenza pandemic. Recommendations may include 

restricting travel to affected domestic and international sites, recalling non-essential staff working in or 

near an affected site when an outbreak begins, and distributing health information to persons who are 

returning from affected areas. 

Set procedures for activating your organization’s response plan when an influenza pandemic is declared 

by public health authorities and altering your organization’s operations accordingly.

5. Allocate resources to protect your staff, members, and persons in the communities that you serve during a pandemic:

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Determine the amount of supplies needed to promote respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette and how 

they will be obtained.

Consider focusing your organization’s efforts during a pandemic to providing services that are most 

needed during the emergency (e.g. mental/spiritual health or social services).

6. Coordinate with external organizations and help your community:

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Understand the roles of federal, state, and local public health agencies and emergency responders and 

what to expect and what not to expect from each in the event of a pandemic.

Work with local and/or state public health agencies, emergency responders, local healthcare facilities 

and insurers to understand their plans and what they can provide, share about your preparedness and 

response plan and what your organization is able to contribute, and take part in their planning. Assign a 

point of contact to maximize communication between your organization and your state and local public 

health systems.

Coordinate with emergency responders and local healthcare facilities to improve availability of medical 

advice and timely/urgent healthcare services and treatment for your staff, members, and persons in the 

communities that you serve.

Share what you’ve learned from developing your preparedness and response plan with other FaithBased and Community Organizations to improve community response efforts.

Work together with other Faith-Based and Community Organizations in your local area and through

networks (e.g. denominations, associations, etc) to help your communities prepare for pandemic influenza.