Exercise to prepare for flu pandemic
Tayside officials to play major role
Published:
OFFICIALS in Tayside will play a major role in an emergency exercise designed to make sure Scotland is prepared for a flu pandemic.
The month-long exercise, due to start next week, will test government agencies on their readiness to respond to a major outbreak.
Along with terrorism, extreme weather and a widespread failure of public utilities, a pandemic has been identified as one of the greatest potential threats facing the country.
It is thought that a flu pandemic could kill between 50,000 to 70,000 Scots.
The most serious pandemic, last century, involved the Spanish flu in 1918-19 which killed 40-50million worldwide and 250,000 in the UK.
In 1957-58, Asian flu killed a further 1million worldwide and 33,000 in the UK. This was followed by Hong Kong flu in 1968-70 which killed 1.4million globally and 30,000 in the UK.
Exercise Cauld Craw will involve a number of agencies across Scotland, including the emergency planning strategic co-ordinating group in Tayside and the local health board.
Several other health boards will take part, with the Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS 24 and Health Protection Scotland.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “Although there has been no change to the level of risk of a flu pandemic, an outbreak has been identified as one of the main risks Scotland could face.”
CBI Scotland welcomed the planning exercise and warned firms to plan ahead so they can return to normal as quickly as possible if the worst happens.
Assistant director David Lonsdale said: “Research shows that four out of five firms affected by a major incident close within 18 months. Furthermore, CBI surveys show that fewer than half of contingency plans are tested regularly, and barely a third of firms know if suppliers have business continuity plans in place.”
