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Skriven 2006-12-18 23:31:18 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (061218) for Mon, 2006 Dec 18
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Fact Sheet: Implementation of the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza:
Six-Month Status Report
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 18, 2006

Fact Sheet: Implementation of the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza:
Six-Month Status Report


ÿÿÿÿÿ In Focus: Pandemic Flu ÿÿÿÿÿ

Today, Frances Fragos Townsend, The Assistant To The President For Homeland
Security And Counterterrorism, Summarized Progress The U.S. Government Has
Made Implementing The Actions In The National Strategy For Pandemic
Influenza Implementation Plan.The National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza
was released by the President on November 1, 2005, on the same day that the
President requested $7.1 billion from Congress to accomplish the objectives
of the Strategy. The Implementation Plan was released on May 3, 2006, and
directed Federal Departments and Agencies to undertake over 300 actions in
support of the National Strategy.
  þ The Progress Report Released Today Is An Action-By-Action Summary Of
    Progress So Far. In order to track implementation of the Strategy, each
    of its more than 300 actions includes a measure of performance and a
    timeline for completion. This report summarizes the state of progress
    on each action ("completed" or "in progress"), and provides a
    description of efforts that have been undertaken by the responsible
    Departments and Agencies.

Summary Of Progress Implementing The Strategy1

Ninety-Two Percent Of All Actions Due Within Six Months Of Release Of The
Implementation Plan in May 2006 Have Been Completed. The remaining eight
percent of actions are still in progress, and should be completed shortly.

This Outcome Is A Result Of The Tireless Work Of Federal Employees In
Departments And Agencies Across The Government, Working Domestically And
Abroad. Specific progress includes:
  þ Federal Pandemic Preparedness Plans: All Federal Departments and
    Agencies are developing their own pandemic preparedness plans to ensure
    that they are addressing all elements of a comprehensive checklist. The
    "meta-checklist" guiding their efforts is available for any institution
    to use, at www.pandemicflu.gov.
  þ Statewide Pandemic Planning Summits: Secretary Leavitt and other senior
    officials from the Department of Health and Human Services have led
    Statewide pandemic planning summits in all States. We are investing
    $600 million in State and local preparedness efforts, including the
    exercising of pandemic plans across communities and at all levels of
    government.
  þ Community-Wide Mitigation Strategies: We have focused unprecedented
    attention on the role of community-wide mitigation strategies, such as
    early school closure, cancellation of public gatherings, and other
    "social distancing" behaviors in reducing illness during a pandemic.
    Interim guidance on the ways communities can use these interventions
    most effectively will be released in January.
  þ Vaccine Production: We have invested over $1 billion in the development
    of new cell-culture technologies for influenza vaccine production, and
    will soon announce contracts to adapt existing egg-based vaccine
    facilities for pandemic vaccine production.
  þ Adjuvants: Very promising results on the testing of "dose-stretching"
    materials, also known as "adjuvants," have recently been announced by
    companies involved in this research. If proved to be safe and
    effective, adjuvants could allow a dramatic reduction in the amount of
    vaccine necessary to immunize a person against a pandemic virus,
    thereby allowing us to vaccinate many more people with our vaccine
    stockpile.
  þ Rapid Diagnostic Tests: We have invested in the development of rapid
    diagnostic tests, to allow swift recognition of a pandemic virus in the
    human population, thereby allowing rapid isolation and treatment of
    infected individuals.
  þ Bird Surveillance System: We have put a nationwide wild bird
    surveillance system in place to provide early warning of an outbreak of
    H5N1 in the bird population, and are reporting the results of these
    efforts to the public on an ongoing basis.
  þ International Efforts: We have invested $434 million in international
    efforts, far more than any other nation, in an effort to build
    infrastructure in affected regions of the world to rapidly recognize
    and respond to an outbreak of a pandemic virus. In addition to
    improving these nations' ability to control outbreaks of H5N1 in their
    bird populations, these systems may make it possible to slow, stop, or
    limit the spread of a pandemic virus to the U.S.

The Work Ahead

This Progress Is Very Promising, But Much Work Remains. In addition to the
small number of "six-month" actions that are not yet complete, a number of
other actions that are due at nine, 12, and 24 months are underway and will
require sustained effort and resources.
  þ Actions Due Within Six Months. Actions due within six months that are
    still underway include the development of best practices and guidance
    for selected State and local entities and improvements in mortality
    reporting by communities. It is anticipated that these actions will be
    rated "complete" shortly.
  þ Most Importantly, We Must Continue To Encourage All Entities, From
    Government Agencies To Schools To Individuals And Families, To Develop
    Their Own Pandemic Plans. This is essential for the resilience of
    communities and of the Nation. Much of the guidance necessary for this
    planning can be found on www.pandemicflu.gov.

[1] Due to ongoing scientific analysis and the need for additional
consultation with public health, education, and faith and community based
organizations, the due dates for 12 actions related to community
containment were moved to February 1, 2007. Several of these actions have
been completed, but may require revision upon the completion of the interim
community containment guidance in December 2006. These 12 actions are not
counted in this summary of progress implementing the Strategy.
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