What is it about?
In the event of an influenza pandemic which has high mortality and the potential to spread rapidly, such as the 1918–19 pandemic, there are a number of non-pharmaceutical public health control options, such as school closures, available to reduce transmission in the community and mitigate the effects. Simulations show that multiple policy aims are unlikely to be achieved using ine strategy and for many mitigation strategies starting a few weeks into the epidemic may be the best use of resources
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Why is it important?
This research demonstrates the importance of tailoring pandemic plans to defined policy targets with some flexibility to allow for uncertainty in the characteristics of the pandemic.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Mitigation Strategies for Pandemic Influenza A: Balancing Conflicting Policy Objectives, PLoS Computational Biology, February 2011, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1001076.
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Resources
BBC News - Flu pandemic measures can start late, researchers say
Imperial College - Flu reduction policies don't need to start at the beginning of an epidemic, study suggests
CORDIS - Perfect timing for flu mitigation measures
Close schools, cancel major events, restrict non-essential travel? When a severe strain of flu is on the rampage, public distancing methods rank prominently among the possibilities health authorities may consider to limit transmission. There will often be calls to apply such measures sooner rather than later. But new EU-funded research shows there are situations where it may actually pay to wait.
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