Contingency Planning

Countries and areas at risk of avian influenza (AI) infection should have a contingency plan to ensure appropriate measures in case of an outbreak. The decision to vaccinate or not is part of this plan.

For information on contingency plans for specific countries see the OIE website:

• Information on Disease Emergency Preparedness
  

The following steps are crucial for a successful AI control program:

1. The first cases of AI must be promptly identified
   • Highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks are easy to diagnose.
   • Areas at risk of infection should implement surveillance systems to detect infection with low pathogenic avian influenza
     
     
2. Determine whether disease has spread to commercial poultry flocks
   • This information must be made available to decision makers
     
     
3. Eradication measures must be implemented
   • Stamping out or
   • controlled marketing of birds on infected farms
     
     
4. Restriction measures on movement of:
   • live poultry,
   • vehicles,
   • staff
     
     
5. If it is decided to vaccinate, this must be done promptly. 
   • Vaccine banks or access to antigen banks should be established
   • Diagnostic tests should also be readily available
   • A strategy needs to be implemented to enable authorities to establish:
     
     1. Whether or not the virus is circulating in the vaccinated population.
     2.  If the vaccination program is effective

The strategy should include restriction measures  and a monitoring system in the vaccination area.