A space to breathe
Now that the first wave of swine flu has passed, some important lessons have been
learned. While companies with pandemic plans are adapting them to take account of
the experience, those without are working hard to catch up.
T
he spread of Influenza H1N1 – or June 11, the WHO confirmed Phase 6 – pandemic. 69% of respondents had a
swine flu – was fast. On Friday the declaration of a full pandemic. pandemic preparedness plan; 19% had
April 24, International SOS’ one in progress and 12% didn’t have a
pandemic preparedness team spotted The next day, 76 global organizations plan at all. Of those with plans, 92% had
increased activity and reports of a new gathered at an international conference activated them, while 8% were waiting
strain of H1N1. Within hours the new in London organized by International to decide next steps.
International SOS Pandemic SOS to discuss the future of H1N1.
Preparedness website was live. Renowned UK virology expert, “A lot of organizations had prepared
Professor John Oxford was the lead global pandemic plans during the avian
Piroska Bisits Bullen is a Medical speaker. “With a global pandemic now flu outbreak and used the H1N1
Projects Manager on International SOS’ declared”, he states, “this was unique outbreak as a drill to test them”, recalls
Pandemic team. She remembers that and timely opportunity to discuss with Professor Oxford.
Friday well. “We acted very quickly companies how best to respond to it.”
because we had been monitoring H1N1 As the weeks went by swine flu turned
so closely”, she says. Interest was intense Professor Oxford’s opinion, which he out not to be as serious as had been
as the pandemic seemed to escalate shared with the conference, was that a feared. “What we saw was a relatively
rapidly and by Monday April 27, there second larger wave of infection will hit mild outbreak with limited impact”,
were 45,000 visitors to the site. soon – and that companies should use explains Professor Oxford. “But this
the intervening time to prepare. mild-case scenario revealed some
In less than a week the World Heath weaknesses in many companies’
Organization (WHO) moved the rating Mild outbreak pandemic plans.”
from Phase 3 (very limited human-to- At the conference, a survey was
human cases) to Phase 5 (human-to- conducted of organizations across Learning points
human spread into at least two countries industry sectors to gauge their There’s a consensus that the objective of
in one region). Five weeks later, on preparedness in light of the H1N1 pandemic preparedness planning is to
8 InternatIonal sos
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