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Pandemic Influenza

You are here: Pandemic influenza > FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions
Seasonal Influenza, Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) and Pandemic Influenza

What is Influenza?
Seasonal Influenza
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
Pandemic Influenza
What could happen in an Influenza pandemic

What is Influenza?

Influenza (the flu) is a highly infectious illness caused by a virus. It is much more serious than a common cold and will leave you ill for up to 10 days.

It may take up to three days to feel symptoms after you catch influenza (the incubation period). Symptoms include:

a high fever
headache
muscle aches and pains
fatigue
cough
sore throat.

Influenza can be a mild or severe illness depending on the type of influenza virus causing it, and the age and general health of the person affected.

Anyone can get influenza — being fit, active and healthy does not protect you from getting this virus.

Anyone can die from influenza — it kills at least 100 New Zealanders every year, including some young, fit people.

Seasonal Influenza

What is seasonal influenza?

Every year New Zealand experiences outbreaks of influenza, which peak during the cooler months. They can be caused by a number of different strains of the influenza virus, but overall this is referred to as seasonal influenza.

What can you do to prevent getting or spreading seasonal influenza?

Every year, ask your doctor to vaccinate you against seasonal influenza. Because the influenza virus changes frequently, you need to get vaccinated every year.

Vaccination is free for people aged 65 years and over, and adults and children with certain long-term (chronic) conditions. Your GP will know if you are eligible for a free vaccination.

Influenza is very easily spread through coughs and sneezes. If you have influenza, avoid public places and close contact with other people. Always cough and sneeze into a disposable tissue. Put the tissue in a rubbish bin and wash your hands well afterwards.

For more information about seasonal influenza vaccination see the Seasonal Influenza page on the Ministry of Health website.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Note: For all questions relating to animal health please refer to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry website.

What is avian influenza (bird flu) and is it easily spread to humans?

There are many types of influenza virus, some of which infect birds. These are avian influenza viruses.

Very rarely, an avian influenza virus can also infect people. One current avian influenza virus – H5N1 – has infected some people who have caught it from having close contact with infected birds.

Avian influenza causes severe flu-like symptoms in people and may result in death. Since December 2003, outbreaks of H5N1 in birds in several countries have been associated with human cases and deaths. The virus cannot yet spread easily from person to person. The great majority of cases have been infected through contact with birds. There have been a small number of cases where spread between people may have occurred, but this has been between close relatives.

There are currently no vaccines commercially available in New Zealand that will protect people against the H5N1 avian influenza.

For more information on avian influenza and the significance of its transmission to humans, see the World Health Organization website.

Why are health authorities concerned about Avian Influenza?

The World Health Organization is worried that an avian influenza virus might change so that it has the ability to easily spread from person to person, or mix with a human influenza virus resulting in a new strain of influenza virus that can do this. This could trigger an influenza pandemic.

Pandemic Influenza

What is an influenza pandemic?

An influenza pandemic occurs when a new strain of influenza virus emerges, spreading around the world and infecting many people in a very short time.

An influenza virus capable of causing a pandemic is one that people have no natural immunity to and can easily spread from person to person. It may cause severe disease. An influenza pandemic could cause many deaths and could occur at any time. It could happen at any time of the year, not just winter.

What are the symptoms of pandemic influenza?

The symptoms of pandemic influenza are the same as seasonal influenza.

This includes: sudden start of a high fever, headache, muscle aches and pains, fatigue, cough or a sore throat.

The virus can cause a mild or severe illness depending on the type of influenza virus and the age and general health of the person affected. It may take up to three days to show symptoms.

How likely is an influenza pandemic?

It is certain an influenza pandemic will happen one day.

There are many avian influenza viruses circulating in some countries at present. One of these, such as the H5N1 virus, could become a pandemic influenza virus at any time if it changes so it can be easily spread from human to human.

How often do pandemics occur and what causes them?

Throughout recorded history there have been, on average, three pandemics a century. However, there is no regular pattern. Last century there were three influenza pandemics; in 1918, 1956-57 and 1968. All three pandemics last century were caused by different types of avian influenza viruses.

What could happen in an influenza pandemic

Who will decide if the world is having a pandemic?

The World Health Organization (WHO) will determine when a virus such as the avian influenza virus is spreading from human to human in sufficient numbers to constitute a pandemic.

Many governments and the WHO have intensive surveillance programmes to track the spread of avian influenza. These programmes will provide global early warning of human infections so governments can begin implementing "pandemic alert" phases designed to track the progress of the disease spread nationally.
For more information, see the WHO website (www.who.int)

Who will be in charge if there is a pandemic in New Zealand?

The New Zealand Government will ensure there is an appropriate response from all agencies involved. The Ministry of Health will take the lead in a national health emergency.

Will New Zealand stop travellers from coming into the country in an effort to stop the spread of disease?

Because we are an island nation, active management of the border (i.e. limiting arrivals from affected areas to allow us to impose effective on-arrival measures) needs to be considered among the range of options as we plan our response. Other countries are also considering border management options.
Any final decision on border management will be made by the Government with input from a range of government departments.
The details of how New Zealand might manage its borders are laid out in the National Health Emergency Plan: New Zealand Influenza Pandemic Action Plan 2006.

What could happen in New Zealand if there is a pandemic?

The New Zealand Government would take action to limit the spread of initial cases through a range of potential measures, including:

border management
isolation of sick people
restriction of public gatherings.

A pandemic could mean so many people are sick that it will affect workplaces, schools, hospitals and many other services. Some workplaces and schools may close.

There would be public announcements on TV, the radio and through other media channels that there is an influenza pandemic and information about what to do and where to go for help.

There is no doubt that in a severe pandemic, hospitals and primary care practitioners such as GPs will find it difficult to deal with large numbers of people with influenza.

Normal health and other services may not be available for several weeks. If you are sick you may be asked to phone your local doctor or nurse for advice, rather than visiting a waiting room and potentially spreading influenza. The Ministry of Health is planning for other possible options such as Community Based Assessment Centres (CBACs), where people with influenza-like symptoms would go to be assessed. People may also be asked to look after each other at home and given information about how best to do so.

How will New Zealanders get treatment or health advice in an influenza pandemic?

This will depend on the severity of the pandemic and how many people it affects. There would be public announcements on TV, the radio and through other media channels that there is an influenza pandemic and information about what to do and where to go for help.

For example, if you are sick you may be asked to phone your local doctor or nurse for advice, rather than visiting a clinic and potentially spreading influenza. If pandemic influenza is in your community, your district health board (DHB) will probably set up community based assessment centres (CBACs), where people with influenza-like symptoms could go to be assessed.

General, pre-recorded, information about pandemic influenza is available at 0800 AVN FLU. Information on 0800 AVN FLU is updated regularly. In a pandemic, if you have health concerns, you will also be able to ring the national free 24-hour health advice number, Healthline (0800 611 116). This service is provided by registered nurses.

In a pandemic people may also be asked to look after each other at home and there would be information provided through a variety of media channels about how best to do so.

How many people could get sick or die if a pandemic virus reaches New Zealand?

Until a pandemic develops and the nature of any disease in New Zealand becomes known there is no way to know how many people may get ill or die.

For planning purposes the New Zealand Government has developed a standard planning model, based on the impact a 1918-size influenza pandemic could have on the present day population. This model indicates that up to about 1.6 million people could become ill over an 8 week period, with about 33,000 deaths over that time. It is very important to emphasise that this is not a prediction or a forecast of what will happen.

The planning model was developed from historical data to provide a consistent set of figures around which to develop response and contingency plans, and it is important that our planning considers the possibility of a very severe future pandemic. As noted above, there is no way to predict what will happen ahead of time, and it is entirely possible that a future pandemic could be very different than that outlined in the planning model.

How will I know what to do in a pandemic?

There would be public announcements on TV, the radio and through other media channels, and regular updates using a variety of communications channels.

What should people do at home to deal with an influenza pandemic?

Stay home if you are sick and keep away from other people -- avoid visitors and visiting others
Wash and dry your hands before handling food, after coughing, sneezing, using the bathroom, wiping or nose-blowing (whether your nose or your child's), and when looking after sick people
Keep coughs and sneezes covered. Tissues are best. Put the tissue in a covered, lined rubbish bin or plastic bag
Give people who have a fever and/or diarrhea plenty to drink
Include paracetamol or ibuprofen (for fever) in your home emergency survival kit.

What can I do to protect myself and others in an influenza pandemic?

Influenza is very easily spread by infected people coughing and sneezing. To reduce the chances of getting influenza there are things you can do, such as ensuring good health hygiene habits:

Washing and drying your hands well is one of the best ways of protecting yourself against the spread of influenza.

Wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and dry hands well, or use an alcohol-based rub.

Wash and dry hands:
- before preparing food and eating
- after coughing or sneezing, blowing noses, wiping children’s noses, visiting the toilet or looking after sick people.
Keep your coughs and sneezes covered. Put tissues straight into a covered, lined rubbish bin or a plastic bag.
Try to stay a metre away from people to reduce the spread of influenza.

Page last updated: 08 November 2007