Key changes to pandemic plans by Member States of the WHO European Region based on lessons learnt from the 2009 pandemic

In the autumn of 2011, Member States of the WHO European Region participated in four workshops organized by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the WHO Regional Office for Europe, with the goal of summarizing the key changes that Member States are making to their pandemic plans and learning from each others’ experience. In these workshops, Member States emphasized the continued need for joint-working and intercountry cooperation in the area of pandemic preparedness, in support of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) and the new Cross Border Threats Initiative proposed by the European Commission. The capacities built as part of pandemic preparedness should benefit preparedness for other public health threats and the core capacities required under IHR, and should be maintained. At the same time it was emphasized that pandemic preparedness needs to be built on stronger responses to seasonal influenza.

This report summarizes the key conclusions and recommendations of the four workshops.