CDC Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Responce Framework
The CDC has updated its Preparedness and Response Framework for Influenza Pandemics. – 26 Sept 2014
Some extracts:
CDC has updated its framework to describe influenza pandemic progression using six intervals (two prepandemic and four pandemic intervals) and eight domains. The six intervals of the updated framework are as follows: 1) investigation of cases of novel influenza, 2) recognition of increased potential for ongoing transmission, 3) initiation of a pandemic wave, 4) acceleration of a pandemic wave, 5) deceleration of a pandemic wave, and 6) preparation for future pandemic waves.
Influenza Risk Assessment Tool (IRAT): IRAT is used by the U.S. government and the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System as a risk assessment process that involves data gathering, discussion, and consensus building among subject-matter experts to assign a risk score. Ten predefined risk elements are given a risk score.
Pandemic Severity Assessment Framework (PSAF): PSAF is based on transmissibility and clinical severity parameters and uses different scales for initial assessments in an emerging pandemic, and for later, more refined assessments. The initial assessment, performed early in the outbreak when epidemiologic data are limited, uses a dichotomous scale of low-moderate versus moderate-high transmissibility and severity. The later assessment, performed when more reliable data are available, is more refined, using a 5-point scale for transmissibility and a 7-point scale for clinical severity.
Planning and response efforts for recent novel influenza-A viruses and pandemics have been organized into eight domains to ensure that subject-matter expertise is properly applied to all aspects of the event. The decisions and actions are further stratified into these domains so that the trajectory of planning and response activities for any one domain can be more easily followed. The eight domains are incident management, surveillance and epidemiology, laboratory, community mitigation, medical care and countermeasures, vaccine, risk communications, and state/local coordination.