PATH is an international non-profit As far as travelers were concerned, they I attended most of the International sOs
organization whose mission is to needed to know what to expect when webinars about influenza. The different
improve the health of people around crossing international borders - could perspectives from academia, vendors, and
the world by advancing technologies, they be quarantined in transit? We also International sOs staff really helped my
strengthening systems, and encouraging needed to know what to do if a local understanding of the issues. We used the
healthy behaviors. Headquartered in or expatriate member of staff became benchmark data derived from online polls
Seattle, PATH operates in more than seriously ill with H1N1. and other sources to revise our pandemic
70 countries worldwide. plan and our approach to communicable
The information from International
disease prevention.
Dan Bryant is Safety Officer at PATH. sOs was a valuable adjunct to the
“Communicating with staff and travelers governmental sources that we generally We will be setting up more International
to give them accurate and timely look to. Their global business perspective sOs online services soon, specifically,
information about influenza and its in particular helps us assess the business TravelTracker and the automated travel
impacts was challenging”, he explains. impacts. advisories. I’m expecting these services
to help us better reach our staff with
“We had to first gather authoritative, International sOs’ daily influenza updates
specific influenza information as well as
practical information. We then had to were a very helpful component of our
information on other travel risks.”
ensure that local staff were accurately travel risk management strategy. These
informed and aware of what protective included information on travel restrictions,
actions to take if the virus penetrated especially screening and quarantine
into their local communities. activity in our travelers’ destinations.
implementation and scenario drills –
“Most experts also agree that
company, has developed a Flu
including antiviral programs. “A
if a second wave of H1N1 hits,
Kit to help aviation and maritime crews
pandemic plan is very different from a prevent the spread of influenza.
typical business continuity plan”,
there will be little time to plan.”
International SOS is also delivering
explains Dr. Quarry. “You need to new online pandemic training to take
account for the severity of the autumn voice combined with an awareness of account of H1N1.
wave being unknown, for employees their particular circumstances”,
being infectious without showing continues Dr. Quarry. No time to plan
symptoms, and for the pandemic Conventional wisdom suggests that
potentially lasting up to 15 months.” The team has also continually developed we’ve potentially witnessed only the
the International SOS pandemic beginning of the pandemic and that now
Authoritative voice preparedness website with different is the time to prepare for its advance.
Throughout April, May and June levels of information for the general International SOS has implemented its
International SOS held ‘webinars’ with public, for members, and for around 415 own pandemic preparedness plan,
hundreds of client subscribers to the Pandemic Information including screening visitors and
representatives at Service. quarantining returning travelers where
which doctors and appropriate. “The objective is to keep
other experts gave the One recurring issue has been the our alarm center network running
most up-to-date availability of antiviral drugs. “From continuously because we provide 24/7
advice. “Our clients day one we’ve had requests for emergency services to our members”,
need definitive Tamiflu”, says Ana Mensua, Public says Dr. Doug Quarry.
guidance based on Health Specialist with International
authoritative SOS. “Our message has been consistent. Most experts also agree that if a second
epidemiological While governments and some wave of H1N1 hits, there will be little
international agencies have strategic time to plan. “Having a pandemic plan
priority, there are many measures already in place is the best approach for
that the private sector can take any organization to mitigate risk”, says
besides antiviral medication Professor Oxford. “We want to help
programs.” For example, in organizations protect their employees
response to demand from its clients, while minimizing the economic and
MedAire, an International SOS social impacts of H1N1.” ■
10 InternatIonal sos
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