Surveillance
Around the world great efforts are being
expended to monitor known viruses and watch for
a new strain that may lead to a pandemic of
influenza. It is important to know what surveillance
efforts are underway in order to be ‘in the loop’
when information about a novel strain of an
influenza virus with pandemic potential begins to
spread. Specific information about the nature of
the virus and details of its spread will help local
decision makers fine tune the execution of their
own plans for the most effective results.
At the local level, surveillance will take on
different meanings for the various planners and
stakeholders. For the medical community it may
mean testing for and identifying influenza viruses
in patients that present to local hospitals and
clinics for treatment. For other local planners,
surveillance will take on the form of monitoring
the results of detection and testing efforts at the
local, state, national, and international levels.
The scope of surveillance in this section involves
monitoring the virologic surveillance and disease
surveillance activities of local, state, national, and
international agencies charged with those
responsibilities.
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Around the world great efforts are being
expended to monitor known viruses and watch for
a new strain that may lead to a pandemic of
influenza. It is important to know what surveillance
efforts are underway in order to be ‘in the loop’
when information about a novel strain of an
influenza virus with pandemic potential begins to
spread. Specific information about the nature of
the virus and details of its spread will help local
decision makers fine tune the execution of their
own plans for the most effective results.
At the local level, surveillance will take on
different meanings for the various planners and
stakeholders. For the medical community it may
mean testing for and identifying influenza viruses
in patients that present to local hospitals and
clinics for treatment. For other local planners,
surveillance will take on the form of monitoring
the results of detection and testing efforts at the
local, state, national, and international levels.
The scope of surveillance in this section involves
monitoring the virologic surveillance and disease
surveillance activities of local, state, national, and
international agencies charged with those
responsibilities.
Close window and return to last page
