Flu pandemic exercise takes shape

Winter Willow to test Pandemic preparedness 

A "real time" simulation exercise is being drawn up by the government that will pull in all parts of the public sector to test the country's readiness for a flu pandemic. Exercise "Winter Willow" will take place over at least three weeks from late January and involve officials from cabinet level down to individual health trusts, the police and education authorities across the UK.

There is growing concern over the likely emergence of a lethal new flu strain and this exercise is the most ambitious yet in a series of simulations run in recent months as the UK and other countries begin preparing for the risk of a pandemic triggered by the current H5N1 bird flu strain, which has to date infected 252 people worldwide and killed 148.

Government guide-lines warn that companies and other employers should plan for absenteeism at the peak of the pandemic averaging 15 per cent of their staff, rising to twice that number for small crews of workers. Policymakers hope to minimise the economic disruption of the pandemic and have dismissed calls to make preparations to close borders and stop transport. They are likely to recommend school closures to help reduce infection, however. Whereas previous simulations have typically lasted only one or two days and involved a small number of high-level officials or emergency staff in a single region, Winter Willow is designed to test how the entire public sector would react throughout the duration of a pandemic "wave".

Strategic corporate sectors, such as energy and banking, will also participate and the scenarios tested in the exercise will then be made available to othercompanies so they can run them to test their own preparedness. Speaking at a business seminar in Paris yesterday, David Nabarro, the United Nations' influenza co-ordinator, said that companies internationally had made important strides to prepare for a pandemic in recent months. He stressed though that they now needed to launch joint simulation exercises with the public sector, voluntary organisations and the media. He said: "In my experience, the corporate sector has recognised that this is a serious risk and is therefore investing time, energy and some funding in preparing for business continuity, in preparing for a pandemic, and in considering how it can contribute to collective security in the event a pandemic occurs."

Winter Willow will test draft changes to the department of health's current pandemic preparation plan and should lead to a revised version being issued next spring.

The Continuity Forum team is available to assist companies deliver or support BCM events and workshops. For more details on these activities and the general activities of the Continuity Forum please contact us directly 

For more details on our events, workshops and industry development work, as well as the general activities of the Continuity Forum please contact us directly on +44 208 993 1599 or mail us HERE!