Why it is important to plan ahead The severity of a pandemic cannot be predicted with any certainty.
Experts routinely monitor the situation closely because it is important to be ready to respond to a pandemic quickly in order to reduce the impact.
A pandemic may impact on all aspects of daily life, so robust contingency plans are essential to make sure that there is a coordinated and effective response.
Planning needs to take place at all levels from international organisations such as the WHO, to national governments and right down to local businesses and communities. Individuals can also prepare themselves and their families.
What WHO is doing WHO has developed a sophisticated pandemic monitoring and guidance service. It collects and evaluates information about new viruses from National monitoring centres around the world then applies a scale of six phases of pandemic alert. The level of alert serves as a system for informing the world of the seriousness of the pandemic threat and the level of pandemic preparations that are needed. For each phase there are recommended actions for WHO, international governments, communities and industry. The current phase of alert is clearly displayed on the WHO website.
WHO has developed a global influenza preparedness plan (Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response) that outlines the responsibilities of WHO and national authorities in the event of an influenza pandemic. WHO has urged countries to develop national pandemic preparedness plans and provides guidance tools and training to assist in the development of these plans.
WHO collects and analyses data on the occurrence of influenza worldwide. It also advises health authorities, the media and general public about influenza vaccine recommendations and available antiviral medications. Once a pandemic is declared WHO reference laboratories identify the virus strain to be included in a vaccine and modify it for use in the production of a pandemic vaccine.
What countries are doing WHO urged countries to draw up pandemic plans and has provided guidance to help them do so. Governments around the world have already developed and tested national pandemic contingency plans. There is a list of national pandemic plans on the WHO website. There is also a European Disease Prevention Centre (ECDC) list of national pandemic plans.
WHO also recommended stockpiling enough antiviral drugs to cope with a pandemic affecting 1 in 4 of the population. This stockpiling has been going on for some time, though some developing countries seem likely to fall short of the target.
What the healthcare industry is doing The healthcare industry has been preparing for an influenza pandemic and understands the need for cooperative working. It has established an Influenza vaccine supply international task force and healthcare companies have invested over $4 billion in pandemic influenza preparations, including vaccine research and development and expansion of vaccine production facilities
Work to research and develop pandemic or pre-pandemic vaccines and improved antiviral medications is ongoing and contingency plans are in place to help ensure continued supplies of essential medicines during a pandemic.
Solvay has been planning for the possibility of an influenza pandemic for some time.
How is Solvay preparing its employees to ensure its social commitments in the event of a pandemic Solvay has been working since 2005 to mitigate the effects of a pandemic on its employees and their families and on the business; as a producer of a number of essential products it is critical that Solvay continues to function as effectively as possible at a time when the population are likely to need its products even more.
A global Pandemic Preparedness Team initiated development of pandemic contingency plans across the company worldwide in all business sectors and coordinate activities during a pandemic including :
Monitoring the risk of a pandemic developing
Planning at an international and local level to cope with the effects of an influenza pandemic
Appointment and training of country coordinators to champion and cascade planning and dissemination of resources in all localities
Development of resources to help Solvay people protect themselves and their families
Development of a website to house pandemic preparedness planning and preparedness tools and personal protection resources to keep Solvay employees informed
In an extraordinary initiative the Solvay Pandemic Preparedness team produced a personal hygiene protection kit (containing items such as masks, gloves and disinfectants) to help protect employees and their families and help prevent virus spread. In 2008 and 2009, hygiene kits were delivered to Solvay sites around the world accompanied by an early pandemic education and awareness campaign.
The Pandemic Project Team is also committed to making its best efforts to secure supplies of antiviral medicines if needed by Solvay people and their close families.
Solvay will also share information about pandemic planning with partners and key contacts so that the wider community can benefit from the knowledge and expertise that Solvay has developed as a business with well developed pandemic plans.
Individuals can also prepare themselves for the threat of a pandemic and more information on how to do this can be found in ‘Helping yourself’. Personal preparation is important because a pandemic could affect things we normally take for granted such as the healthcare system, essential services and transport. Schools could close and many of us may need to care for sick or bereaved relatives or may be affected ourselves. We can help reduce the spread of the virus by following some simple measures. Planning in advance for all these eventualities and ensuring we are well informed and aware of the risks can help reduce the consequences of an influenza pandemic for ourselves and our families.
Why it is important to plan ahead
