What are Pandemics and emerging infectious diseases?
Some infectious diseases have the potential to cause significant public health impacts, due to the number of people they might affect in a short space of time, and the severity of their symptoms.
Possible scenarios range from significant outbreaks of ‘containable’ infectious diseases, which spread slowly and / or can be more easily delayed or stopped but may have a high fatality rate, through to pandemics, where the whole population is at risk from a highly infectious virus, which can cause large numbers of fatalities in certain groups.
Expand the sections below to learn more about pandemics and emerging infectious diseases.
A pandemic is the result of a novel pathogen (virus, bacteria, fungi, or other organisms that cause disease) emerging and spreading quickly around the world due to lack of population immunity.
When you hear the term pandemic you might think of COVID-19 which was the most recent pandemic that impacted the UK. COVID-19 impacted all aspects of society including the economy, public health, and public behaviour. Since COVID-19 the pandemic risk has been updated to create a more generic pandemic scenario reflecting a broader range of possible manifestations and additional impacts, measures and data have been incorporated into the assessment.
An emerging infectious disease includes a new or newly recognised disease and could result in large number of people falling ill.
Some of the most recently emerged diseases include Ebola and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERs) which have been classified as High Consequence Infectious diseases. These are acute infectious diseases that typically have a high case fatality rate and may or may not have effective treatment and can be difficult to recognise or diagnose rapidly. They require an enhanced individual, population and health system response.
Local Risk Rating
Very High
What does the Local Resilience Forum do to prepare?
As a partnership we work closely to manage the reasonable worst-case scenario to plan and prepare for a pandemic and emerging infectious diseases. The UK Health Security Agency and NHS responders have well-tested response capabilities to detect, contain and treat novel infectious diseases.
Since COVID-19 we have implemented learning to help develop and introduce flexible pandemic response capabilities.
We also work together to enhance Business Continuity arrangements and Local Authorities provide business continuity advice to local businesses.
How can you prepare?
Keep healthy – a healthy lifestyle is a good defence against illnesses
Get the flu jab – certain occupations and high-risk groups can obtain this free of charge
Identify a friend – someone who can support you should you become ill and need to isolate from the public
Keep personal stocks of “over the counter” medication to help relieve your symptoms
Know arrangements at your children’s school/nursery
Look out for and observe advice and guidance from the NHS
