Influenza pandemic planning in Europe

Abstract

The World Health Organization strongly recommends that all countries prepare in advance multidisciplinary pandemic plans to prevent and control the next influenza pandemic. We carried out a survey of influenza surveil-lance methods among members of the European Influenza Surveillance Schemes, EISS, which included a set of questions on pandemic planning. All but one of the countries have a pandemic plan or are in the process of producing one. A coordination of these different national plans at a European level would probably contribute to their improved impact and efficiency.