Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20081129p2a00m0na007000c.html
New flu outbreak plan emphasizes limiting spread
A new influenza outbreak emergency plan has been drafted by the government, with emphasis moved away from strict containment and prevention of a new type of flu virus to limiting the spread and damage of any epidemic.
The new plan, announced on Friday, has two main goals: controlling the spread of infection and minimizing its effects on health; and preventing social and economic breakdown. It will be formally approved early next year following a public feedback session.
In addition, proposed measures submitted by specialist Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare committees and other groups have been upgraded to 10 guidelines, which "provide us with a general outline for any counter-epidemic policy," says the Cabinet Office.
The new plan covers nine topics, including vaccination, medical care and preservation of social and economic functions. While recommending that all those infected during the early stages of an epidemic are hospitalized, the new policy for medical treatment requires that patients not in immediate danger be discharged later to provide beds for the seriously ill during the main infection phase. There are also policies for pre-pandemic vaccination, depending on vaccine efficacy, and a recommendation to increase stockpiles of the drug Tamiflu to treat 45 percent of the population.
The assumed scale of the epidemic is an infection rate of 25 percent, with a 0.53 mortality rate leading to a maximum of 640,000 deaths. By week 5 of the pandemic, around 101,000 people are predicted to be hospitalized daily, and 40 percent absent from work.
(Mainichi Japan) November 29, 2008
New flu outbreak plan emphasizes limiting spread
A new influenza outbreak emergency plan has been drafted by the government, with emphasis moved away from strict containment and prevention of a new type of flu virus to limiting the spread and damage of any epidemic.
The new plan, announced on Friday, has two main goals: controlling the spread of infection and minimizing its effects on health; and preventing social and economic breakdown. It will be formally approved early next year following a public feedback session.
In addition, proposed measures submitted by specialist Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare committees and other groups have been upgraded to 10 guidelines, which "provide us with a general outline for any counter-epidemic policy," says the Cabinet Office.
The new plan covers nine topics, including vaccination, medical care and preservation of social and economic functions. While recommending that all those infected during the early stages of an epidemic are hospitalized, the new policy for medical treatment requires that patients not in immediate danger be discharged later to provide beds for the seriously ill during the main infection phase. There are also policies for pre-pandemic vaccination, depending on vaccine efficacy, and a recommendation to increase stockpiles of the drug Tamiflu to treat 45 percent of the population.
The assumed scale of the epidemic is an infection rate of 25 percent, with a 0.53 mortality rate leading to a maximum of 640,000 deaths. By week 5 of the pandemic, around 101,000 people are predicted to be hospitalized daily, and 40 percent absent from work.
(Mainichi Japan) November 29, 2008