Pandemic precautions: How ready are we?

“These new findings highlight the importance of ensuring that Canadian efforts to prepare for a pandemic are continuous and evolving,” said James Clancy

Ottawa (4 Feb. 2008) – New data from more than a dozen European countries, Canada and the U.S. shows a higher percentage than usual of flu viruses that are resistant to Tamiflu, a top antiviral drug that has been stockpiled by countries around the world for possible use in a flu pandemic.

In a study released last week, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) found that Tamiflu doesn’t work in about 13% of H1N1 viruses, the main flu strain causing illness this year. In Canada the data shows more than a 10 per cent resistance rate. Normally, resistance levels are well below 1 percent.

Leading infectious disease experts are concerned that if the resistance becomes widespread, Tamiflu, one of the tools for fighting a flu pandemic, might become useless and they are anxiously monitoring any further spread of the resistant H1N1 strains.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it cannot explain this Tamiflu resistance.

"I think this is a very concerning change in influenza virus resistance patterns," said Dr. Frederick Hayden, a leading antiviral expert and a member of the World Health Organization's Global Influenza Program.

The WHO's Global Influenza Program held a special teleconference of about 50 scientists from leading influenza laboratories around the world last week to try to get a handle on how far this resistance has spread and what is driving the spread.

“These new findings highlight the importance of ensuring that Canadian efforts to prepare for a pandemic are continuous and evolving,” said James Clancy, National President of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE). “Canada should ensure our plan for stockpiling antiviral drugs doesn’t rely exclusively on Tamiflu.”

The National Union has been pushing governments in Canada to ensure there is adequate preparedness and protection of critical health and safety infrastructure and supplies in the event of pandemic.

In December 2006 the National Union released a new report on pandemic planning in Canada. The report presents an overview of what Canadians need to know about the threats that pandemics pose and what governments in Canada are doing to prepare for them.

The National Union has also produced a Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist as one tool for healthcare workers across the country to use to take stock and prepare for a pandemic outbreak in their workplace. NUPGE

More information:

• National Union Report - Canadian Pandemic Planning PDF

• Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist download PDF