Media Release

24 October 2008

Media advisory - Exercise Spring Fever

The Ministry of Health and over 20 other agencies will be running an exercise aimed at testing New Zealand's readiness for dealing with persons exposed to pandemic influenza outside of New Zealand.

The exercise will be based at Auckland International Airport and a local hotel and run over two days (October 29 and 30). The scenario deals with an aircraft arriving from Asia carrying passengers who have reported pandemic-like influenza symptoms, and how these people are dealt with upon arriving in New Zealand.

Media are therefore advised this is an exercise only and despite real-time on site action at Auckland Airport, there is no risk to public health or safety.

The main aims for the exercise are to:

• Exercise Border Management Teams in processing incoming air passengers and responding to contain a public health risk
• Practise the Ministry of Health's effective oversight of the national response to such an incident
• Practise the Public Health Unit (PHU) and District Health Boards (DHBs) in effective oversight of the operational response to a limited incident that contains a public health risk
• Practise the Memoranda of Understanding between the Ministry of Health and the Hotel Council and between PHUs and regional service providers
• Develop a robust communication plan (data, voice and paper) for the Border Management Teams, Emergency Operating Centres, regional and national headquarters and the media

Agencies involved

• Auckland Regional Public Health Service
• Auckland Regional District Health Boards
• Auckland International Airport
• New Zealand Police
• St Johns Ambulance Service
• New Zealand Customs Service
• New Zealand Immigration Service
• Ministry of Health (Director of Public Health Office, Risk & Assurance and Public Health Nurses)
• Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Department of Labour
• Department of Internal Affairs
• Ministry of Social Development
• Aviation Security Services
• Air New Zealand
• BARNZ (Board of Airline Representatives New Zealand)
• Civil Defence Emergency Management
• Ministry of Transport
• New Zealand Hotel Council
• Welfare agencies
• Catering Services

A further release reiterating these messages will be made on the morning of the first day of the exercise (29 October).

ENDS

For further information, please contact Michael Flyger, Media Advisor - 04 496 2265, 0274 346 878