Planning for the next flu pandemic

New Zealand health officials are negotiating with international drug companies to boost stocks of avian influenza medicines.

The Health Ministry's director of public health, Dr Mark Jacobs, said the Government owned small quantities of the anti-viral medicines and was negotiating for a "very substantial" amount more. He expected the negotiations to finish next month.

He would not reveal the quantity being sought but said: "When we get those additional supplies we will be in a comparable situation to Australia."

No vaccine against avian flu is available yet.

The ministry's Influenza Pandemic Action Plan, published in 2002, predicted that in the next influenza pandemic New Zealand would run short of vaccine - which would be targeted at "priority groups" - and anti-virals.

The Government started preparing for an avian flu pandemic last February by declaring the illness in humans a notifiable disease.

"Making avian influenza in humans notifiable allows health authorities to gather the information they need to respond appropriately to any future cases," Health Minister Annette King said at the time.

Under the action plan, sick people would be advised to stay home during an influenza pandemic and the public would be advised against unnecessary travel. Medical officers of health in each region could cancel public events.

Hospitals will be reserved for the most seriously ill; less severe cases will be cared for at home.

"It may be necessary to utilise other facilities (eg community centres or hotels) if extra space is required, particularly for outpatients or post-acute patients," the plan said.

It also suggested that supplies such as food and water were likely to run short and services such as power and sanitation might have to be restricted.