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Pitsel Pandemic News (02|25|09)

Panasonic's Pandemic Response Creates a Stir

Panasonic has certainly put the issue of pandemic flu back on the front burner. Last week we saw that Panasonic Corp., the electronics giant and the world's biggest maker of plasma TVs, has called for families of employees to begin preparations to return to Japan by September of this year, from countries where there are human fatalities from bird flu.

Panasonic stated that the request to the employees was based on a review of places where the H5N1 virus has been detected, and an assessment of the adequacy of medical facilities in those areas.

As you can imagine this has caused a stir of speculation and response in the international business and health communities. The Canadian Press, CIDRAP (Centre for Infectious Disease Research & Policy), Japan Today, World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations and many others are all responding to this unprecedented move.

In addressing some of the flurry of questions Panasonic Corp. said that they had no proprietary information about increased risk of an influenza pandemic in December, 2008 when they instructed some overseas employees to send their families back to Japan.

They have also denied that the company ordered the families to return to Japan as a cost-saving measure to mitigate the effects of the global economic downturn.

Panasonic Corp. recognizes the move may seem unusual. They are the first major company to enact such a pandemic planning measure. Dr. Masato Tashiro, a virologist and consultant to WHO, told CIDRAP that he hasn't seen any increase in the global pandemic risk. "As far as I understand, the recent situation of poultry outbreaks and human infections in China is within our prediction," he said.

WHO reports there is no evidence that the risk of an H5N1 pandemic is any higher now than at any other time in the last two years. WHO judges the pandemic risk to continue at Phase 3 to reflect the fact that there are occasional human infections with a novel influenza virus that has pandemic potential. The pandemic alert would only move up to Phase 4 when WHO sees signs of an increase in human-to-human spread of the virus.

From time to time over the past five years there have been occurrences of limited human-to-human spread that have taken place. But those transmission chains died out after one or two generations of spread.

As a culture the Japanese are very prepared to address natural disasters, and business continuity planning is given high priority. This latest move shows they are actively monitoring and assessing capabilities, and access to health care, as key elements of their supply and distribution networks.

Japan's health ministry yesterday announced new details of their country's pandemic plan which includes strict quarantine measures shutting down all but four airports, and three sea ports. If an outbreak occurs in Japan the government plans to shut down schools, discourage people from going places where large numbers of people gather, and to cremate bodies of victims within 24 hours. Government charter flights would bring healthy Japanese nationals back home, but those infected would be asked to stay abroad, and foreigners would be restricted from entry.

WHO maintains the situation is status quo, the world remains at Phase 3 status for pandemic influenza. At the same time, the UN is declaring that the bird-flu virus is nearly entrenched in China's poultry and represents a threat to world health. Health experts with the UN are concerned about the breadth and intensity in China of poultry infections, warning that the virus is evolving. Health experts are particularly concerned that the most recent human infections are widely distributed across China and cannot be linked to nearby outbreaks of bird flu in poultry.

Japan's preparedness raises more questions than provides answers, especially surrounding the restriction of "foreigners", and refusing re-entry of infected nationals should the pandemic level change to Phase 4.

Flu fears have been stoked in Japan following a hit film, "Archipelago," portraying a disease outbreak that causes death and chaos. In addition, Japan also held a highly publicized pandemic preparedness drill last month. Do these incidents, alone, account for Panasonic's corporate reaction?

For us in Canada it reminds us to be watchful as ever, knowing that media reports are not always the most reliable sources of information. We know culture, distance, politics, and economics all filter the information that is released and/or reported. The questions raised at this action far outnumber any satisfactory conclusions. Why, for instance, is Panasonic seemingly alone in the Japanese corporate community at this time in making these moves? Since Panasonic announced its recall months ago in December, who decided it is now big news, and why?

Avian flu is not the only highly contagious disease that is circulating around the world. Ebola in Congo, and cholera in Zimbabwe are rampant. Preparedness preparations should continue for us in Canada because an H5N1 pandemic is a reality we could face while the other dieseases are largely confined to third world countries.

This is WEEK #5 of the Preparedness Challenge - and my personal favourite of all the weeks. I can imagine getting-by without a bell or a whistle for the patient. I just can't imagine doing without toilet paper. The recommended supplies for this week are toilet paper (100 rolls per person) and paper towels (20 rolls per person). At least one doesn't have to worry about stale-dating and rotation of this commodity.

Stay well. Take care.

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