The Department of Health (DH) has published a communication strategy to help guide the government’s response to future flu pandemics.
The UK Pandemic Influenza Communications Strategy 2012 sets out a communications framework for the UK government in response to a potential outbreak.
A pandemic from a new influenza virus remains a potential risk for the UK, the DH said, adding that the Government intends to remain as prepared as possible.
“This strategy covers health-related communication in the stages leading up to a UK pandemic, during a pandemic itself, and during the recovery phase.
“It focuses on mainstream communications channels with targeted elements for specific audiences,” the DH said.
The document should be read alongside the UK Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Strategy, published in November 2012, and the Health and Social Care Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Guidance for the health and social care community, published in April 2012.
The strategy, which was developed jointly and agreed with the Devolved Administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, follows lessons learned from the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic, specifically the need to plan flexibly and proportionately for a variety of possible scenarios.