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Source: http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/latestheadlines/3861400.Flu_pandemic_action_plan_approved/
Flu pandemic action plan approved
4:00pm Wednesday 19th November 2008
By Charley Morgan ?
THE greatest potential hazard faced by the UK - that was the description NHS bosses in Wiltshire gave to a potential outbreak of pandemic influenza this week.
NHS Wiltshire approved a comprehensive multi-agency plan to protect the population of Wiltshire in the event of a flu pandemic at its board meeting yesterday.
Flu is a common virus, but it is constantly mutating and when several factors combine in a new strain it can become a pandemic.
Pandemic flu is highly infectious and capable of causing illness in a high proportion of people who catch it.
There have been concerns that the H5N1 ?bird flu? virus could mutate into a pandemic-causing human flu, but experts say this will probably not be the most likely cause of an outbreak.
Maggie Rae, director of public health in Wiltshire, said: ?Every health community in the country has to have a pandemic flu plan because the evidence the government has is that we will have a flu pandemic at some time.?
When there is an outbreak of pandemic flu that threatens the country, the plan will kick into action.
The first step would be to identify the strain of the virus so a vaccine can be made to protect vulnerable people, like children and the elderly.
In Wiltshire, there will be an Emergency Management Team set up at NHS Wiltshire headquarters in Devizes, which will provide the Department of Health in London with regular situation reports on a daily basis.
There would also be regular messages sent out through the local media to give advice to people on what action to take and tips for managing flu.
But NHS Wiltshire remains confident that the county is not at particular risk of an outbreak, partly because there is no underground train system like in London and the majority of people do not use public transport.
NHS Wiltshire along with the county?s police, fire and ambulance services as well as local councils, are holding a practice planning session in the Corn Exchange in Devizes today, where they will practice responding to an outbreak of pandemic flu.
The plan can be read on the NHS Wiltshire website www.wiltshirepct.nhs.uk.
Flu pandemic action plan approved
4:00pm Wednesday 19th November 2008
By Charley Morgan ?
THE greatest potential hazard faced by the UK - that was the description NHS bosses in Wiltshire gave to a potential outbreak of pandemic influenza this week.
NHS Wiltshire approved a comprehensive multi-agency plan to protect the population of Wiltshire in the event of a flu pandemic at its board meeting yesterday.
Flu is a common virus, but it is constantly mutating and when several factors combine in a new strain it can become a pandemic.
Pandemic flu is highly infectious and capable of causing illness in a high proportion of people who catch it.
There have been concerns that the H5N1 ?bird flu? virus could mutate into a pandemic-causing human flu, but experts say this will probably not be the most likely cause of an outbreak.
Maggie Rae, director of public health in Wiltshire, said: ?Every health community in the country has to have a pandemic flu plan because the evidence the government has is that we will have a flu pandemic at some time.?
When there is an outbreak of pandemic flu that threatens the country, the plan will kick into action.
The first step would be to identify the strain of the virus so a vaccine can be made to protect vulnerable people, like children and the elderly.
In Wiltshire, there will be an Emergency Management Team set up at NHS Wiltshire headquarters in Devizes, which will provide the Department of Health in London with regular situation reports on a daily basis.
There would also be regular messages sent out through the local media to give advice to people on what action to take and tips for managing flu.
But NHS Wiltshire remains confident that the county is not at particular risk of an outbreak, partly because there is no underground train system like in London and the majority of people do not use public transport.
NHS Wiltshire along with the county?s police, fire and ambulance services as well as local councils, are holding a practice planning session in the Corn Exchange in Devizes today, where they will practice responding to an outbreak of pandemic flu.
The plan can be read on the NHS Wiltshire website www.wiltshirepct.nhs.uk.