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Case Studies - Recent Local Exercises

Exercise Arctic Sea

June 2005

Exercise Arctic Sea was the first large scale regional table top exercise to be held as part of the Department of Health's funded national exercise programme with representation from nearly 200 delegates. The exercise provided an opportunity to practice and develop, in a multi-agency context, the responses in the east midlands region during a global influenza pandemic.

The scenario was based on a rising tide situation starting with increased World Health Organisation concerns of person to person transmission of H5N1 in SE Asia, a returned visitor to Vietnam diagnosed with the virus and then on through to a full pandemic flu crisis with the east midlands being the worst affected region.

Core objectives of the exercise:

• to explore the response of health organisations to the threat and consequences of an influenza pandemic;

• to explore business continuity of the health service during a prolonged outbreak of an infectious disease;

• to explore business continuity of the wider community in an influenza pandemic.

Observations arising from this exercise are being used to further develop local, regional and national flu plans.

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