Pandemic influenza

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Guidelines

• Cluster Control for Pandemic Influenza
• Infection Prevention and Control during an Influenza Pandemic
• National Laboratory Guidelines for Pandemic Influenza

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Cluster Control for Pandemic Influenza

Date of publication: July 2008

These guidelines describe the public health interventions that may be used by Public Health Units in the cluster control phase of pandemic influenza.

The aims of cluster control in a pandemic are to:

• control or eliminate the disease after introduction to New Zealand (in conjunction with rigorous border management)
• slow the transmission of the disease
• obtain epidemiological information to characterise the spread of the infection to inform the pandemic management response.

The guidelines will be updated as necessary as information on the epidemiology of the pandemic virus is known.

Guidelines for Public Health Services on Cluster Control for Pandemic Influenza is available in PDF format in the publications section of the Ministry of Health website.


Infection Prevention and Control during an Influenza Pandemic

Date of publication: April 2006

This document provides general guidance to the health and disability sector, other
government agencies and the general public on actions and equipment to help them
to protect themselves and others during an influenza pandemic. It does not contain
detailed information for acute care, secondary or tertiary hospitals.

This guideline has been developed principally because the health and disability sector
is preparing for an influenza pandemic (Ministry of Health 2005 ). It should be read in
conjunction with the guidance material on this website
(http://www.moh.govt.nz/pandemicinfluenza), and for workplaces, on the
Department of Labour website (http://www.dol.govt.nz)
Guideline availability:

• Infection Prevention and Control during an Influenza Pandemic is available in PDF
  and Word format in the publications section of the Ministry of Health website.

National Laboratory Guidelines for Pandemic Influenza

Date of publication: June 2006

The National Laboratory Guidelines for Pandemic Influenza were compiled in consultation with members of the New Zealand Virology Laboratory Network. They are intended for use by health professionals and laboratory staff to ensure safe handling and collection of human specimens for diagnosis of influenza with pandemic potential.

During a global influenza pandemic alert, and in concert with New Zealand’s pandemic response strategy, all health care providers should be alert for patients with respiratory illness that could be pandemic influenza. For all suspected patients, samples for virus detection should be collected. The National Laboratory Guidelines for Pandemic Influenza advise what specimens are preferred and what test should be performed at the different stages of a pandemic.

Guideline availability:

• National Laboratory Guidelines for Pandemic Influenza is available in PDF
  and Word format only in the publications section of the Ministry of Health website.

Page last reviewed: October 2007