WHO Pandemic Influenza Draft Protocol for Rapid Response and Containment

This draft protocol on the response and containment of an outbreak of pandemic influenza, most likely as a result of avian influenza (avian flu or bird flu) was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in consultation with a wide variety of stakeholders. It has three main parts. The first describes the steps needed to recognise the signal or "triggering" event of an outbreak. The second part describes the immediate actions that should follow recognition of the signal. The third part describes the actions that
should be undertaken once the event has been verified, the overall situation has been assessed, and a decision has been made to launch the rapid containment operation.

According to the document, the success of a strategy for containing an emerging pandemic virus is time-dependent; early detection and verification is vital. Once an incidence is detected, this should be reported to the WHO. Once the WHO has verified the event, they, together with national authorities in the affected country, will assess the need for additional support, which may include personnel (such as epidemiologists, clinicians, logisticians, laboratory experts, or experts in communications and social mobilisation) and supplies. The country and WHO will agree on a communication plan to ensure that all information relevant to outbreak assessment and response is shared in the most expedient way possible.

Containment will include strategies such as encouraging social distancing, voluntary quarantine, and potentially administering antiviral drugs. Adverse events will be monitored through use of telephone surveys or hotlines. Where such communication structures are lacking, adverse event reporting will be
conducted during visits by mobile medical or public health teams, other surveillance networks, or by food and social welfare distribution networks. Adverse event reporting will be designed for such high-risk groups as pregnant women, children, and persons with underlying medical conditions. Persons reporting adverse events should be simultaneously given advice on management of the event. National
authorities should assume responsibility for liability should severe adverse events occur.

Annex 2 of the protocal refers specifically to WHO operational communications. According to the outline, WHO will adhere in all its public messages (such as press releases, press conferences) to the best practices set out in the WHO Outbreak Communication Guidelines. The objectives of the communications are to instill and maintain the publics' trust and to convey realistic expectations in its ability to respond to and manage the outbreak. It aims to provide accurate, timely, consistent, and comprehensive information and prevent stigmatisation of affected groups. Communications will also aim to promote compliance within the containment zone, to rapidly identify barriers to compliance, and to react with new approaches to increase compliance through a policy of transparent communication.

Activities will include:

• integrate communications staff into all discussions regarding the containment plan;
• activate network of risk/outbreak communicators, for advice and deployment of communications officer(s) to affected region; and
• activate secure website as a means to share documents, updates, general public information, contact information, etc.

The following outlines the WHO communications with the media.

• be consistent and a part of WHO's overall pandemic communications, and adhere to WHO Outbreak Communication Guidelines;
• instill and maintain the publics' trust in the global and national public health system and its ability to respond to and manage the initial outbreak of an efficient transmission of a pandemic virus;
• provide accurate, timely, consistent, and comprehensive information about seasonal and pandemic influenza, and containment activities;
• contribute to the maintenance of order, minimisation of public fear, and facilitation of public protection; and
• quickly addresses rumours, inaccuracies, and misperceptions as quickly as possible, and prevent stigmatisation of affected groups.
• Wherever possible, WHO and the national government will attempt to integrate public communications. However, WHO will reserve the right to make independent assessments of the evolving situation as required.
• Headquarter (HQ) communications staff, together with Regional Office staff, to contact counterparts in the affected Ministry of Health, to discuss the announcement of containment strategy.
• Three specific areas to be targeted: the initially affected outbreak zone, bordering regions, and the rest of the world. Each of these areas will have
  particular concerns, to be addressed by evolving technical assessments of the situation.
• Communications surveillance to be enacted (in affected country and worldwide) to identify issues of concern for the public/media, and to allow
  WHO to respond as quickly as possible to rumours, negative press stories, etc.
• HQ communications staff to develop daily talking points based on evolving technical guidance and information from the field.
• HQ communications, together with regional counterparts, to hold regular press briefings.
• The identification of at least two senior technical/policy WHO spokespeople - one at HQ and one in the field, to be available for regular media interviews.