Avian Influenza and the Pandemic Threat

Avian and human pandemic influenza planning and response should be based on sound science and public health principles. Discussions on ethics and values, with particular attention to the needs and rights of the economically and socially disadvantaged, should occur in advance of a health crisis. The SARS outbreak demonstrated that health care systems need to be better prepared to address hard ethical choices which quickly arise during a crisis.

In the event of a pandemic, UN offices will have to be prepared to continue critical operations.

To do so, the UN and its specialized agencies have developed contingency plans to minimize the impact of any pandemic on the health and safety of staff in order to maintain and sustain operational capacity, so that the UN system can best support national preparedness and response to a pandemic.

UN supports countries

Avian influenza poses a substantial risk to the human population because it is likely that at some, unpredictable, point in the future a strain of influenza will emerge that transmits easily between humans.

If this occurs, the aviation community may be asked to take action in order to assist in limiting its spread.

Further, aviation will undoubtedly be detrimentally affected as passengers choose to avoid flying to areas where there is a perceived increased risk of disease.

It is therefore necessary to plan for such an event, in order to mitigate the effects of a human outbreak.

Should the H5N1 virus mutate and become easily transmissible from person-to-person, the impact of a new human pandemic influenza virus could be significant. Some estimates predict millions will die, the global economy will suffer a major setback and travel will be badly disrupted.

The timeline for any such eventuality is unpredictable but the global community is preparing for the possibility and the tourism sector is involved.

If a new human pandemic influenza virus emerges, the World Health Organization would make travel

In the event of pandemic influenza, businesses will play a key role in protecting employees' health and safety as well as limiting the negative impact to the economy and society.

Planning for pandemic influenza is critical. As with any catastrophe, having a contingency plan is essential.

The emergence of a human pandemic influenza, with high attack and fatality rates, could have a substantial impact on individuals, on the global economy, and on financial systems throughout the world.

If the pandemic is severe, the economic impact is likely to be significant, though predictions are subject to a high degree of uncertainty.

Absenteeism

Economic disruptions on the supply side would come directly from high absenteeism, as people may be asked to stay at home, or may choose to do so to care for sick relatives or because of fear of being exposed themselves.

The majority of countries has now established avian influenza task forces and have developed integrated avian and human influenza plans (pandemic prevention and preparedness plans).

Some are still in draft; others have been endorsed by government and others still have already been tested. They have been supported through close international and regional cooperation.

At all levels