Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza

2.2 Delaying the pandemic strain entering Australia

Once the pandemic strain emerges overseas it will be important to delay the entry of pandemic influenza into Australia for as long as possible. This will give the governments of Australia as much time as possible to prepare and for vaccine companies to begin producing customised pandemic vaccine to protect the Australian population.

Border measures in the DELAY phase include:

• pre-border actions (such as reducing the number of travellers from high risk areas entering Australia and advising Australians against visiting affected areas abroad)
• at-border actions (such as screening to detect infected or high risk travellers).

Scientific research and modelling suggests that it could be possible to delay the entry of the virus into Australia for a short period of time if the following occurred:

• at-border measures were used in combination with pre-border measures, and
• the number of cases and rate of transmission overseas was relatively low and being controlled.

It is recognised that border measures will not keep the pandemic out of Australia indefinitely. Border measures are, however, one of a number of control measures, which if taken together and implemented early and effectively, could slow the introduction of the pandemic into Australia. Border measures may also help raise awareness amongst the travelling public and deter those with infection from travelling.

Border measures are a whole of government decision and the role of the health sector is to provide advice to governments in relation to what measures may be effective and when they should be implemented.

If Australia was one of the first countries to be affected by a pandemic, to prevent ill people with pandemic influenza from leaving the country, the WHO may request exit screening measures be implemented under our IHR obligations.
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Repatriation of Australians overseas

The Australian Government would seek to provide Australians overseas with early practical advice to enable them to make decisions best suited to their situation. Arrangements regarding the return of Australians overseas in a pandemic situation are a whole of government decision which would be taken in light of health advice, the ethical framework and other considerations.

Health advice will be provided to the whole of government on how and when return to Australia could be achieved, in a manner that minimises the risk of infection for the individual and minimises the risk of further importation of disease into Australia. It is likely that in the DELAY phase the government may advise Australians in affected countries to return home.

Australians overseas should have their own medical and departure plans. The Australian Government’s ability to assist may be extremely limited and in many situations may not be feasible.
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Phase snapshot: Delaying the pandemic strain entering Australia

PHASE	HEALTH ACTION
ALERT	Recommend heightened border surveillance for influenza viruses in bird and animal products
DELAY	Assist the implementation of at-border and pre-border measures Prepare health advice for Australians overseas
CONTAIN	Evaluate the impact of border measures and advise on need
SUSTAIN	Prepare health advice on the need to discontinue border measures
CONTROL	Evaluate effectiveness of border measures
RECOVER	Prepare health advice on the need to re-implement effective measures if a subsequent wave is imminent
Linked document	FLUBORDERPLAN National Action Plan for Human Influenza Pandemic Quarantine of Arrivals Plan*

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This information is current for 03 September, 2010
This information was issued on 05 December, 2008