# 3621
If the H1N1 virus were a stone killer – like the 1918 virus – we’d be having far fewer discussions on ways to keep schools open and to facilitate travel and commerce.
Thankfully, the novel H1N1 has thus far only been of moderate severity . . . but that brings complications of its own.
The H1N1 virus could be with us for a long time. Perhaps years. It is imperative that we find ways to live with this virus while we await a safe and effective vaccine.
Today the EU Security Committee released recommendations on school closures, and travel, that are designed to balance the needs of society with the concerns over the pandemic.
Below are excerpts from the EU press release, followed by some comments.
Brussels, 13 August 2009
European Commissioner for Health Androulla Vassiliou said: "It is important that Member States and the Commission continue to coordinate their approaches and share information on how to address the public health challenges posed by the pandemic. The two public health statements adopted today provide good examples of how Europe needs to balance public health protection and other key public interests during the current pandemic."
Statement on school closures
The EU Health Security Committee states that Member States do not presently see the need to enact pre-emptive mass school closures. However, the Member States recommend at present the approach to locally close schools reactively upon infection being found among students as beneficial to delay the transmission of the virus. The benefit of such an approach clearly depends on timely action. Furthermore, to ensure that school closures are efficient, they should be accompanied by other measures, in particular to ensure that alternative gatherings of children do not happen.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has produced scientific advice on school closures which can be found HERE:
Statement on symptomatic individuals travelling
The statement by the EU Health Security Committee provides a set of options on what to do in a situation where a traveller falls ill before or during travel. As an increasing number of individuals may develop symptoms just before planned travel or while travelling, the EU Member States may have to face the need to handle and manage cases among travellers.
In this context, the overriding public health recommendation to symptomatic individuals remains to delay travel and stay at home. However, this public health recommendation in the pandemic situation should not lead to restriction of movement at the EU borders and travel restrictions between EU Member States.
Essentially the HSC warns EU member states that they must be prepared to deal with sick travelers, and that those with symptoms should stay home.
But state that no travel restrictions be imposed.
And with schools, they see no need for pre-emptive school closings, but recognize that local jurisdictions may desire to close schools once H1N1 cases are found.
If these recommendations from the Health Security Committee seem less than concrete, you’d be right. There is really very little `new’ here.
But this statement illustrates the difficulty of creating policy for a pandemic that is moderate-to-mild in severity, but that could change in virulence over time, and whose impact is likely to vary from one country to another.
One-size-fits-all solutions that work across borders, and societies, are going to be impossible to find.
