Influenza A(H1N1) and Pandemic Preparedness Under the Rule of International Law
- Author Affiliation: O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
- KEYWORDS:
- DISEASE OUTBREAKS
- INFLUENZA A VIRUS, H1N1 SUBTYPE
- INFLUENZA, HUMAN
- JURISPRUDENCE
- TRAVEL
- WORLD HEALTH
- WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
A novel strain of influenza A(H1N1) spread rapidly through Mexico in April 2009 and now spans the globe. By the time the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified and had responded, geographical containment was not feasible, leading the agency to call for mitigation.1 Early indications are that the first wave may not be as widespread or pathogenic as originally feared, but this influenza strain could evolve to become more dangerous in subsequent waves, as did the 1918 Spanish influenza that killed some 50 million individuals.
The international outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and the more recent influenza A(H5N1) among birds with limited transmission to humans helped prepare the world for the current pandemic threat. SARS galvanized WHO to revise the antiquated International Health Regulations2 in 2005, which took effect June 15, 2007.3 Governments instituted preparedness plans in response to avian influenza.4
Despite …
