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Essay On Critical Evaluation Of Control Plan

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5. Critical evaluation of control strategies within plans
5.1 Surveillance and detection
As influenza is a global virus, surveillance is carried out at several levels: globally by the WHO’s Global Influenza Programme (GIP); regionally, for example European surveillance; and nationally by each country's own surveillance systems (Johnson et al., 2010; WHO, 2017c). Various other global data sharing websites, for example FluNet and FluID provide up-to-date global surveillance information, allowing national public health departments to monitor the global situation and predict possible spread to, and impact on, their own country (WHO, 2017a). These systems, however, are dependent upon adequate national reporting and international communication …show more content…

Each year the WHO monitors the circulating influenza viruses, updating the vaccine twice yearly to reflect the viruses most likely to cause outbreaks that year (WHO, 2016). The preventative efficacy of the vaccine is dependent upon how well matched it is to the strains of circulating virus, however even when there is a mismatch it has been shown to confer some protection (Osterholm et al., 2012; Pebody et al., 2016). One of the groups targeted by the UK’s vaccination policy is the over 65 age group however, while this is a high-risk group for influenza morbidity and mortality, several studies have shown reduced efficacy of vaccination in this age group due to a reduced immune response (Darvishian et al., 2014; Hayward et al., 2006; Osterholm et al., 2012; 2016; Rivetti et al., 2006). However, Puig-Barbera et al. (2016) found that during the 2014/15 influenza season efficacy of vaccination was found to be greater in the over 65s and several studies suggest that the vaccination of health care workers, especially those working closely with the elderly, can confer additional protection to this age group (Hayward et al., 2006; Rivetti et al., 2006). Studies also suggest that targeted vaccination of children with live attenuated vaccine (LAIV) not only reduces the impact of influenza within this age group but can

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