# 1683
While many people think of a pandemic as primarily a public health disaster, a severe pandemic could also bring massive absenteeism, severe shortages of goods and services, interruptions in public utilities, travel restrictions, and possibly even civil unrest.
The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), consisting of representatives from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are meeting this week to consider how to handle this collateral damage.
By REBECCA TORR
LAW and order could break down and economies collapse in the event of a pandemic outbreak of avian (bird) or human flu, UN experts declared in Bahrain.
They say nations must guard not just against the health risk, but against potential impact on essential services and their economies.
The UN staff from the GCC are in Bahrain to discuss how UN country teams should plan for pandemics, as well as support national defences.
A two-day workshop, which concludes at the Crowne Plaza today, aims to expose participants to pandemic scenarios and possible challenges, as well as assessing how prepared they are.
Its goal is also to identify gaps and areas that need improvement in existing plans, develop roadmaps for updating plans in each country and ascertain the need for regional support.
Participants yesterday discussed what they would do in the likelihood of avian and human pandemic influenza in a particular country such as Turkey.
The group considered what action to take in the early to late stages of a pandemic.
Participants discussed the importance of working with governments, co-ordinating global efforts and implementing awareness campaigns.
They also explored when to recommend rationing or stockpiling, how to deal with staff suspected of having flu and at what stage to implement full stage contingency plans.
