A pandemic is the worldwide spread of a disease, where outbreaks or epidemics occur in most regions of the world. An influenza or flu pandemic is likely to occur when the influenza virus undergoes major change (‘antigenic shift'), and a new influenza virus emerges that is different to existing strains and to which people are not immune.
A pandemic will occur if the new virus:
- infects people (rather than, or in addition to, animals or birds)
- spreads from person to person
- causes illness in a high proportion of the people infected
- spreads widely (most people will have little or no immunity to the new virus and will be susceptible to infection).
Information for the public
The websites below provide information and advice for the general public if there is a risk of a pandemic:
The Council's responsibilities
The County Council has specific responsibilities including:
- maintaining critical services, notably assistance to vulnerable members of the community
- protecting staff from an increased risk of exposure due to the performance of their particular duties (for example, care staff and staff who interface with the public).
The Council has produced a plan detailing how we will work with other local agencies to respond to pandemic influenza.
Bird flu
Although bird flu can pass from birds to humans, this happens very rarely as it requires extremely close contact with infected birds. Therefore, at this stage, bird flu has only extremely limited implications for human health. For more advice, including how you can report dead or dying birds, please see our Bird flu pages.
Swine flu
Swine flu is a respiratory disease and has some elements of a virus found in pigs. Symptoms include a fever, cough, headache, weakness and fatigue, aching muscles and joints, sore throat and a runny nose. For more advice, including what you should do if you think you have it, please see our Swine flu page.
East Sussex County Council