The UHL in April unveiled a community edition of the board game that the Laboratory created to help stimulate discussion about ways to prepare for a pandemic or other emergencies. This is the third version of the game.

"While all three versions address pandemic illness, the first two focus on issues and events that would have an impact on laboratories and public health agencies," says Jon DeMartino, UHL writer and creative consultant who developed the game. "This version targets the average citizen who is not in the medical profession and who knows little about pandemic illness."

Players begin the game by reading short scenarios, and then draw corresponding game cards. They attempt to answer questions and move around the board, which is a depiction of an avian influenza virus. The cards contain questions that are easily answered and questions that are intended to generate discussion.

"We tried to bring out situations that might confront families and individuals as a pandemic progresses," Jon says. "These include social distancing, medication distribution and family illness. We also included some of the terminology officials and medical personnel use when referring to pandemic illness."

The first two editions of the game have been sold across the state of Iowa and across the nation. An order form for the community version is available here.

"Most people know very little about the topic and will benefit from the information in our game," Jon adds. "Knowledge is a powerful weapon, both against events and fear of those events."