Preparation for the next influenza pandemic includes development of a national plan that has 3 goals: to limit the burden of disease, to minimize social disruption, and to reduce economic losses attributable to the pandemic. Priority areas to be addressed and improved in the plan to achieve these goals include global and national influenza surveillance, vaccine development and production, vacci...

Since the first case of the current pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus reported to WHO on 24 April 2009 on the American continent, the virus has spread in 160 countries and territories. By mid-2009, there were 135,000 cases and 816 deaths recorded. Pandemic preparedness is not advanced in most developing countries. Effective and essential measures include heightened surveillance, early detection and ap...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the policies on 2009 influenza pandemic in Korea at the end of first wave. METHODS The main policies and the estimation of these were described according to the progress of 2009 influenza pandemic. RESULTS The public health measures for containment were estimated to be successful in the early stage. The preparedness of antiviral agents and vaccines before the pandemic...

The emergence of the H7N9 virus in China is another reminder of the threat of a global influenza pandemic. Many believe we could confront a pandemic by expanding our capacity to provide timely supplies of affordable pandemic vaccines and antiviral agents. Experience in 2009 demonstrated that this cannot and will not be done. Consequently, physicians may have little more to offer their patients ...

The thoughtful article by Schoch-Spana et al offers a welcome opportunity to reflect on the most severe pandemic events of natural origin, particularly as we are approaching the centennial of the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic—the most recent global event that fulfills the proposed GCBR definition. We would like to highlight a few issues that we have pondered over the years while studying hist...

BACKGROUND During the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did a pilot study to test the feasibility of using national surveillance of workplace absenteeism to assess the pandemic's impact on the workplace to plan for preparedness and continuity of operations and to contribute to health awareness during the emergency response. METHODS Populati...

By FR. JOHN F. TUOHEY, PhD Fr. Tuohey is director, Providence Center for Health Care Ethics, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Portland, Ore. I n recent years, there has been a great deal I of interest in emergency preparedness. _J^This is especially true in light of concerns about a pandemic of the H5N1 virus, the "bird flu."* Ethical concerns include ensuring access to basic resources su...

The complexities of planning for and responding to the emergence of novel influenza viruses emphasize the need for systematic frameworks to describe the progression of the event; weigh the risk of emergence and potential public health impact; evaluate transmissibility, antiviral resistance, and severity; and make decisions about interventions. On the basis of experience from recent influenza re...

Recurrent outbreaks of H5, H7 and H9 avian influenza viruses in domestic poultry accompanied by their occasional transmission to humans have highlighted the public health threat posed by these viruses. Newer vaccine approaches for pandemic preparedness against these viruses are needed, given the limitations of vaccines currently approved for H5N1 viruses in terms of their production timelines a...

INTRODUCTION Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel play an integral role during the national response to a pandemic event. To help ensure their health and safety, especially during the early stages of an outbreak, knowledge and adherence with personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection control strategies will be essential. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to assess the ef...