Pandemic influenza

Two things from a search alert that runs for me in PubMed (ask me if you would like to know how to do this):

First, a paper in Primary Care Respiratory Journal that summarises the literature about any imminent influenza pandemic from a primary care perspective. Their conclusions:

"We need to update ourselves and keep our staff and patients informed to make infection control measures part of our daily activities. In areas where there are contacts with animal reservoirs of influenza A, patients need to be reminded that they need to protect themselves from being infected."

The paper is available online through ScienceDirect (if you are a University of Leicester member or member of another institution with a subscription). There is no link (at the moment anyway) from PubMed directly to the article.

Second, a letter in the British Journal of Anaesthesia looking at the preparedness of intensive care units in the south east of England (or "south east UK", as the authors term it) for a pandemic. The authors found hospitals with no contingency plans, so urge that all hospitals develop one. There is a link to full text, which ought to work if you are a University of Leicester member.