Nova Scotia Health System pandemic influenza plan

An influenza pandemic is an outbreak of the disease typically characterized by the rapid spread of a new type of influenza virus to all areas of the world, resulting in an unusually high number of illnesses and deaths, over a period of approximately two to three years. [...] The HA helps the virus attach to the respiratory cells, and the NA helps the virus penetrate into the cells after attachment. [...] Influenza Pandemics Three documented influenza pandemics occurred during the 20th century: the Spanish pandemic in 1918–19, the Hong Kong influenza pandemic in 1968, and the Asian influenza pandemic in 1957. [...] Estimated Impact of an Influenza Pandemic on Nova Scotia The impact of the next influenza pandemic is difficult to predict and will depend on how virulent the virus is, how rapidly it spreads from population to population, and the effectiveness of prevention and response efforts. [...] Despite the uncertainty about the magnitude of the next pandemic, estimates of the health and economic impact remain important to aid public health policy decisions and guide pandemic planning.