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ealth chiefs drew up a contingency plan for a flu pandemic in 1997, which included a widespread vaccination programme, the attainable closure of faculties and limiting worldwide journey.
The plans have been revealed in archived papers which state that medics believed a pandemic was “imminent” and was prone to emerge within the Far East.
The recordsdata present that the Northern Eire Division of Well being, Social Providers and Public Security acquired a UK-wide Contingency Plan for Pandemic Influenza in March 1997.
Sometimes, new shifted strains of influenza virus have emerged within the Far East and unfold by way of Asia or the Antipodes in the direction of Europe
The plan states: “The next situations co-existing recommend {that a} pandemic is imminent – the emergence of a brand new pressure of influenza virus which has a marked antigenic shift – a brand new virus; a excessive proportion of prone folks within the inhabitants, ie with no immunity to the brand new virus both from vaccination or from earlier an infection with an analogous virus; proof that the brand new virus can unfold and trigger human illness.”
The doc continues: “Sometimes, new shifted strains of influenza virus have emerged within the Far East and unfold by way of Asia or the Antipodes in the direction of Europe.
“If this happens, some warning is probably going earlier than a brand new pressure seems in the UK, though unfold could also be very speedy.”
The report states that any flu which originated in China would possible have a sooner unfold than the earlier pandemic in 1968 because of “the opening of China to commerce and tourism” and “growing worldwide motion of individuals and higher use of speedy strategies of transportation”.
In response, then senior medical officer for Northern Eire, Dr Elizabeth Mitchell, drafted a contingency plan for the area in December 1997 to help the native well being service in making ready draft preparations.
The plan states: “Immunisation with appropriately formulated influenza vaccine can scale back the affect of influenza, significantly amongst these inhabitants teams most liable to severe sickness or demise.
“An early precedence of contingency preparations will due to this fact be essential to safe provides of vaccine in opposition to the brand new pressure and to immunise as many individuals as attainable.”
The draft report continues: “Generally, it’s unlikely that the unfold of influenza could be halted, however some slowing may presumably be achieved by lowering pointless, particularly lengthy distance journey, and by encouraging folks affected by the illness to remain at residence.
“Closing faculties is prone to trigger some issues, particularly for working mother and father, however could be an choice to be thought-about, significantly if trainer absenteeism reached ranges at which faculties couldn’t perform.”
Dr Mitchell’s report additionally states that non-urgent hospital admissions, together with severe however non-critical operations, will “must be reviewed and should must be suspended to make beds obtainable.”
A letter from chief medical officer Dr Henrietta Campbell on December 17 1997 to all administrators of public well being and medical doctors in Northern Eire expressed concern over an outbreak of Avian influenza in Hong Kong which had contaminated six folks.
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