Pandemic flu

What is pandemic flu?

The Department of Health describes pandemic flu as:

"Flu that spreads rapidly causing widespread epidemics around the world. Pandemic influenza occurs when a new, highly infectious and dangerous strain of the influenza virus appears.

In contrast to the 'ordinary' or 'seasonal', flu outbreaks which we see every winter in the UK, flu pandemics occur infrequently - usually every few decades. There were three in the last century. The most serious was in 1918, killing millions of people worldwide. Smaller pandemics happened in 1957 and 1968."

The potential for a flu pandemic exists where a previously unknown virus strain manages to be transmitted from human to human. The fact that this virus strain is new means that there is limited immunity amongst the population and therefore it has the potential to spread. This page contains links to information that has been published on various health organisations' websites.

Department of Health - contingency plan (link to Department of Health website) [569KB]

Department of Health - flu pandemic key facts (link to Department of Health website) [78KB]

Department of Health - pandemic flu: important information for you and your family (link to Department of Health website) [333KB]

Department of Health - pandemic flu: frequently asked questions (link to Department of Health website) [102.25KB]

Department of Health - explaining pandemic flu - Chief Medical Officer (link to Department of Health website) [385KB]

Health Protection Agency - flu pandemic contingency plan (link to Health Protection Agency website) [314KB]

Cabinet Office (Civil Contingencies Secretariat) - advice to staff [86KB]

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