Pandemic planning

European Union Preparedness and Response Planning

The European Commission has published (26 March 2004) a Working Paper on Community Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Planning:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_threats/com/Influenza/com_2004_201_en.pdf

The Working Paper defines the phases and levels for a European Union (EU) response to an unfolding epidemiological situation of a pandemic (see pages 7 and 8). The classification system below is based on the WHO classification and is consistent with the criteria adopted in other areas of work at the European Community level, such as the marketing authorization for medicinal products, generic public health emergency plans and smallpox preparedness planning.

IMPORTANT: In November 2005, WHO updated the pandemic phases click here. These are currently being integrated into the EU pandemic plan and table below.

EU Criteria: origin of outbreak WHO Criteria Phase Level Outside EU Inside EU Phase Level   0 0 No indications of any new virus type reported in humans No indication of any new virus type reported in humans 0 0 No indications of any new virus type reported in humans 0 1 Isolation of novel subtype from a single human case Isolation of novel subtype from a single human case 0 1 Isolation of novel sub-type from a single human case 0 2 Two or more human infections with a new subtype Two or more human infections with a new subtype 0 2 Two or more human infections with a new subtype 0 3 Human to human transmission confirmed Human to human transmission confirmed 0 3 Human to human transmission confirmed 1   Several outbreaks in at least one country outside EU, spread to other countries Several outbreaks in at least one Member State, spread to other countries 1   Confirmation of onset of pandemic : several outbreaks in at least one country, spread to other countries 2 0 Regional and multiregional epidemics: no indications of any new virus type reported in the EU Regional and multiregional epidemics in the EU 2   Regional and multiregional epidemics 2 1 Regional and multiregional epidemics: isolation of novel subtype from a single human case inside EU Regional and multiregional epidemics in the EU 2   Regional and multiregional epidemics: 2 2 Regional and multiregional epidemics: two or more human infections with a new subtype inside EU Regional and multiregional epidemics in the EU 2   Regional and multiregional epidemics 2 3 Human to human transmission with new subtype confirmed inside EU Regional and multiregional epidemics in the EU 2   Regional and multiregional epidemics: 2 4 Outbreaks in one or more Member States Regional and multiregional epidemics in the EU       3   End of the first pandemic wave End of the first pandemic wave 3   End of the first pandemic wave 4 Second or later waves of the pandemic Second or later waves of the pandemic 4 Second or later waves of the pandemic 5 End of the pandemic (back to phase 0) End of the pandemic (back to phase 0) 5 End of the pandemic (back to phase 0)

Last updated: 12 December 2005