Editorial: Planning for an Influenza Pandemic

Abstract

Influenza experts have consistently warned of the possibility of a pandemic in the near future. Historically, pandemics have occurred at intervals of 11 ? 42 years and it has now been 38 years since the last Hong Kong flu (H3N2) in 1968 - 1969. Whether the current strain (H5N1) undergoes mutation to enable it to transmit efficiently from human to human, or whether another, as yet unidentified virus, becomes the pandemic strain remains to be seen. Regardless, one thing is certain - We need to prepare.