Several US Government entities have compiled recommendations for family safety in the event of an influenza pandemic striking the United States.

From US Dept of Health & Human Services report "Mass Medical Care with Scarce Resources"

"Indeed, it is likely that the vast majority of victims of an MCE may end up being most appropriately managed in the home setting, either because their illness or injury is not severe enough to warrant institutionalized care or because the successful outcome of such inpatient treatment in the setting of scarce and limited resources would be considered futile and potentially wasteful.

Many view the community hospital as a "safe haven," a place to go for food, shelter, protection, and medical attention. However, particularly in the event of a transmissible infectious disease in which hospitalized patients represent the sickest patients in the community, the concept of "safe haven" may not be applicable. In fact, it may be more dangerous to be in the hospital setting than to remain at home. It is important for community planners to highlight the concept of the home as a "safe haven" in their risk communication strategies and develop measures to support this concept. Emergency planners, therefore, must incorporate the likelihood of home care delivery in all aspects of their planning efforts. This planning must focus on the possibility that some rudimentary degree of medical care will need to be delivered in the home setting, often with limited outside professional assistance.

Incorporating Home Care Into Emergency Planning: Issues to Consider

Register patients being cared for in the home setting with a local emergency management agency and the public health department to ensure access to relevant information.
 
Ensure adequate stock of routine, chronic care medications.
 
Ensure adequate stock of basic first aid supplies, including but not limited to bandages, antipyretic medications (acetaminophen, ibuprofen), oral electrolyte solutions, and thermometers.
 
Establish a "sick room" in the home for the primary management of ill household members, particularly in the event of a transmissible infectious disease.

In the event of caring for patients with advanced symptoms "too sick" for hospital care, coordinate symptom palliation with a home care team coordinated by local public health authorities.
 

From " The National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza" report from the White House

Individuals and Families

The critical role of individuals and families in controlling a pandemic cannot be overstated. Modeling of the transmission of influenza vividly illustrates the impact of one individual’s behavior on the spread of disease, by showing that an infection carried by one person can be transmitted to tens or hundreds of others. For this reason, individual action is perhaps the most important element of pandemic preparedness and response.

Education on pandemic preparedness for the population should begin before a pandemic, should be provided by all levels of government and the private sector, and should occur in the context of preventing the transmission of any infection, such as the annual influenza or the common cold.
 
Responsibilities of the individual and families include:

Keeping supplies of materials at home, as recommended by authorities, to support essential needs of the household for several days if necessary.

Taking precautions to prevent the spread of infection to others if an individual or a family member has symptoms of influenza.
 
Being prepared to follow public health guidance that may include limitation of attendance at public gatherings and non-essential travel for several days or weeks.