# 3354
If you are familiar with the Australian pandemic alert phases (shown below), the announcement that Australia will move from `Contain’ or `Sustain’ to `Protect’ may prove a bit confusing.
As you can see, there is no `protect’ phase in the alert system.
That is, until now.
In an attempt to find the right response to this rapidly spreading, but thus far fairly mild, H1N1 virus – Australian health authorities has put together a new `protect’ phase.
It is often said that no battle plan survives the first contact with enemy. And the same can be said for many of our pandemic plans, as well.
Influenza viruses – and by extension – pandemics, are unpredictable. Pandemic plans, therefore, need to be flexible.
The details of this `protect’ phase appeared in an article on http://www.livenews.com.au/ entitled Govt creates new protect category for swine flu alert
Key elements of the new national "protect phase" that all states and territories will be expected to adhere to by next Friday:
- Focus on early treatment of those identified as displaying severe and moderate symptoms and people considered to be at heightened risk from swine flu, including pregnant women, the morbidly obese and those with respiratory conditions like asthma.
- Voluntary home isolation for those who are sick.
- Antiviral drugs, including Tamiflu, will not be prescribed for otherwise healthy patients with mild symptoms.
- People who come into contact with swine flu patients will not be quarantined.
- Thermal scanners no longer used at airports.
- Schools reopen, children who have travelled to swine flu affected areas no longer excluded from school.
These steps are pretty close to what we’ve been doing in the US over the past few weeks.
This story from http://www.news.com.au/ fleshes out the story a bit.
New flu phase as cases surge over 2000
AAP
June 17, 2009 07:26pm
AUSTRALIA has swung into a new pandemic "protect" phase, as the number of swine flu cases soars past 2000.
The new phase will focus antiviral drugs and medical attention on those deemed most at risk, including pregnant women, the morbidly obese and those with respiratory conditions such as asthma.
People who live with or have come into contact with swine flu patients will no longer be quarantined.
Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the states and territories would reopen schools closed due to swine flu and students who had returned from areas affected by the disease would be allowed to attend classes.
"Excluding well children from school if they're in an area of sustained community transmission is now a less practical or useful measure,'' she said in Canberra.
"Children though who are unwell, like adults who are unwell, will be urged to stay at home until they recover in order to protect their classmates.''
Only people with moderate or severe symptoms, or those in vulnerable groups, will have access to the national and state stockpiles of Tamiflu.
Doctors will not prescribe Tamiflu to otherwise healthy people who have mild cases of the virus, nor will they order pathology tests for all potential cases.
People with mild symptoms will be asked to voluntarily quarantine themselves and take over-the-counter medication for relief.
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