Prior to the President’s call for the nation to prepare for the possibility of pandemic influenza in the United States, the three Texas AHEC Programs, East, South and West Texas AHECs, identified the threat and realized our unique capacity to provide timely and cogent life saving information and training to Texans.

We formed a statewide ad hoc task force, the AHEC Prevention Team (APT), to develop a Primary Pandemic Prevention Campaign to promote healthy behaviors and contagion prevention in general, with specific information on flu prevention.   APT members quickly compiled, created and vetted resources for influenza prevention. We collected AHEC modules, CDC FAQs, to create a digital toolbox for promoting and training Texans in hygienic disease prevention methods, most especially effective hand washing skills, and preparedness lists to assist homes, businesses, and communities to plan and prepare.  APT members constructed contagion prevention public health messages, training materials, and marketing strategies to deliver the campaign message statewide.  AHEC centers are including these hygienic disease prevention strategies, and pre-flu preparedness in schools, industries, healthcare facilities, community organizations, and generally in every venue where AHEC staff interact with people who work with people