Press Release: Influenza pandemic – Europe has to be prepared

The conclusions of a major conference on “Preparedness planning in the EU: Influenza and other health threats” strongly emphasised the need to develop a European action plan to combat pandemic influenza outbreaks by the end of 2002. This plan should identify the most urgent actions and agreed approaches to be undertaken by Member States and the EU in the case of an outbreak of a serious flu virus. The actions to be foreseen would need to address vaccination policy, round-the-clock surveillance, improved diagnostic capacity, availability of anti-virals and training of front line public health professionals.