Over the weekend, a swine flu virus, influenza A (H1N1) strain, has appeared in Mexico, the United States of America, Canada, France, Spain and New Zealand. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that the current situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, and they have raised their level of influenza surveillance globally.
At this time, GSK is collaborating fully with WHO and governments in their efforts to understand the outbreaks and respond appropriately with respond appropriately with existing antivirals, and potential vaccine and consumer healthcare products. We are also working with health authorities to explore if the seasonal flu vaccines may offer protection against swine flu.
At this point, we, as a company, are not activating our full pandemic preparedness plans in Mexico and the US. GSK has implemented the preliminary parts of its plan in Mexico City. We are reviewing our crisis, continuity, and pandemic preparedness plans across the business to prepare for implementation if needed.
What you can do:
Stay calm and informed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have posted general information on swine flu. If you develop signs and symptoms of flu (rapid onset of fever, joint and muscle aches, headache, etc), stay home and contact your doctor within 24 hours to determine if treatment is needed.
GSK continues to closely monitor the situation with the WHO and other national agencies, and stands ready to initiate discussions with local authorities for the manufacture of a vaccine to help prevent this new influenza strain, once a suitable candidate vaccine strain is available from the WHO.
Nearly four years on and this viris still remains a challenge for medical systems world wide. The 2010 flu injection did not include the swine flu virus as its arrival was too late. Therefore American children will receive two shots to enable full resistance.
Nice balanced, informed and most important of all, calm approach. As relevant now as the day it was written. It's intriguing that the level-headed, and professional approach being taken in the health care industry as being interpreted by cranks as an indication of how not serious the A1H1 pandemic is. It's almost as if they would prefer us rending our clothes and tearing at our hair in panic and despair just to prove it's all not an elaborate conspiracy.