The National Framework is one of the first pandemic flu frameworks for cross government joint planning published by any European country. It recognises that a pandemic would have significant social and economic impacts as well as its serious effect on the health of the population. Joint and integrated plans are therefore critical to mitigating its overall effect and this joint guidance is further major step in developing, improving and maintaining UK preparedness.

Yes, Delaware has a Pandemic Influenza Plan and DPH is moving forward to evaluate it. We will keep revising and adding to it, to improve it in every way possible. While the plan outlines roles and procedures, it leaves room for us to make choices based on medical assessment and findings of health investigations.

We expect all NHS organisations to have plans in place and that they are regularly tested and updated. Operational guidance on planning for a flu pandemic was published in autumn 2007. We continue to work with SHA's, PCT's and their patrners to ensure that local plans are in place and intergrated with those of other agencies.

Flu viruses are constantly changing, producing new strains. Flu pandemics occur when a virus emerges that is so different from previous strains that few, if any people have immunity. This allows it to spread widely and rapidly, potentially affecting millions of people worldwide. The new virus may be the result of an animal virus, usually from a bird, mixing with a human virus to produce a new strain.

With the expectation that we could face an absenteeism rate of 25-35% among staff for many weeks, if not months during a pandemic outbreak, Fairfax County is currently developing plans to address this particular situation and provide for continuity of government to the greatest practical extent possible.

Pandemic influenza is a worldwide outbreak of flu caused by a new flu virus that people have not been exposed to before. Because our bodies would have no resistance to this new virus, it could spread quickly from person to person and cause serious illness.

No one can predict when, or if, a flu pandemic might occur. Previous influenza pandemics (such as ones in 1918, 1957, and 1968) resulted in large numbers of illness and death. Many government organizations and businesses are developing plans for coping with a pandemic since preparedness is the best strategy. H5N1 was identified in 1996/1997, and has yet to mutate to a strain that is easily transmissible from human to human.

A pandemic occurs when a disease spreads rapidly, affecting most countries and regions of the world. Flu pandemics have occurred periodically throughout human history – including a major pandemic in 1918, and smaller pandemics in 1957 and 1968. The symptoms of pandemic flu are similar to those of seasonal flu but are usually more severe. Bird flu or H5N1 is a flu virus circulating in Southeast Asia, Europe and now Africa, that usually affects birds but also has infected people.

Anyone could get sick from pandemic flu. This is a new virus, to which no one is immune. However, about half of those who are infected can expect to have no symptoms ? called asymptomatic infection.

During a flu pandemic the government will be using TV, radio, newspapers, and the Internet to inform and update the public. We hope that this information will prompt University members to look at this website or seek guidance from their college or department. This website will be updated on a regular basis, at the very least when new UK alert levels are confirmed.

Outbreaks follow predictable seasonal patterns; occurs annually, usually in winter, in temperate climates Healthy adults usually not at risk for serious complications; the very young, the elderly and those with certain underlying health conditions at increased risk for serious complications Generally causes modest impact on society (e.g., some school closing, encouragement of people who are sick to stay home) May cause major impact on society (e.g.

New human flu viruses can arise from bird flu viruses that then change to a form that can infect humans and spread readily from person to person. Current bird flu outbreaks in Asia, Europe and Africa are caused by a type of flu virus called "H5N1." Human infections and deaths due to the H5N1 virus have occurred, although the virus has at this time not developed the ability to pass easily from person to person and cause outbreaks in humans.

Antiviral drugs may help prevent infection in people at risk and lessen the impact of symptoms in those infected with influenza. It is unlikely that they would substantially modify the course or effectively contain the spread of an influenza pandemic.

They are better prepared than ever. Contingency plans are in place in case they need more room for patients. Like everyone, hospitals need to continue to prepare and plan.

Flu viruses have the ability to change or mutate, and any flu virus can mutate into a new form that easily infects people, spreads rapidly from person to person and causes serious illness. If this happens, we will not have a vaccine for this new virus and a pandemic could result.

Maintaining good personal hygiene, such as washing your hands to prevent spreading the virus from your hands to your face

Any Pandemic Flu will be managed on a multi-agency basis using the Surrey Major Incident Plan (copies can be found on the Surrey County Council website) Avian Flu ("Bird Flu") is a contagious disease of birds caused by influenza A viruses. The infection of humans is very rare. In the last 2 years there have been less than 120 cases worldwide and these have all been in South East Asia.

No. An influenza virus that is new, or one that hasn't been around for many years causes a pandemic. The type of flu we have each season will vary, but these strains have been around and our bodies are more able to cope with them. Seasonal flu bugs cannot cause a pandemic.

Probably not. But there are many unknowns involved, making accurate prediction impossible. Bird flu is still a bird disease. The H5N1 bird flu in Asia and Europe does not spread well from person-to-person. The first is a "reassortment event", in which a person is infected with a human flu and the bird flu virus at the same time. Genetic material is exchanged between the human and avian viruses during this co-infection, and a human version of bird flu emerges.

No one can predict when a pandemic will occur, or how fast it will spread across the world. More information on global surveillance activities. In Rhode Island, it is estimated that up to 30% of the Rhode Island population might become sick in a few weeks. In a very severe pandemic, many infected people might die. The demand for healthcare services will significantly increase, and the number of healthcare workers may be reduced at any given time.

Three pandemics have occurred in the last 90 years, in 1918, 1957 and 1968. Scientists predict that another pandemic will happen, although they can't say exactly when. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has compiled a summary of the pandemics and "pandemic scares" that have occurred in the last 100 years.

During a pandemic you're more likely to catch it than seasonal flu because it spreads rapidly and very few people will have immunity. Everyone will be at risk. Some groups of people may be more at risk than others, but every pandemic is different, so until the virus starts spreading it is very difficult to predict who these groups might be.

Vaccines against bird flu are already being made and tested. Experts are also testing new ways of making vaccine quickly. If pandemic flu occurs, we’ll need a vaccine for the specific virus causing the pandemic. Flu viruses change constantly so there’s little time to prepare a vaccine in advance. This new virus would be different from the current bird flu virus. So although it's possible we may have a bird flu vaccine, it's also possible it may not work on the pandemic flu virus.