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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