Influenza is a viral infection that affects mainly the nose, throat, bronchi and occasionally lungs. This infection usually lasts for about a week, and is characterized by sudden high fever, aching muscles, headache and severe malaise, non-productive cough, sore throat and rhinitis.

The virus is transmitted easily from person to person via droplets and small particles produced when infected people cough or sneeze. The virus can also be spread by hands infected whit the virus.Influenza tends to spread very fast in seasonal epidemics. Most infected people recover in one to two weeks without requiring medical treatment. However, in the very young, the elderly, and those with other serious medical conditions, infection can lead to severe complications of the underlying condition, pneumonia and death.

The time from infection to illness, know as the incubation period, is about two days. Seasonal influenza spreads easily and a sweep through schools, nursing homes or businesses and towns. To prevent transmission. People should cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing, and wash their hands regularly.

The most effective way to prevent the disease or severe outcomes from the illness is vaccination. Safe and effective vaccines have been available and used for more then 60 years. Among healthy adults, influenza vaccine can prevent 70% to 90% of influenza-specific illness. Among the elderly the vaccine reduces severe illnesses and complications by up to 60% and deaths by 80%.

Vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of serious influenza complication, and for people who live with or care for high risk individuals.
WHO recommends annual vaccination for:

• Nursing-home residents (the elderly or disabled).
• Elderly individuals.
• People whit chronic medical conditions.
• Other groups such as pregnant women,
  health care workers, those with essential functions in society,
  as well as children from ages six months to two years.

Mission
•Contribute to reducing death and disease due to annual influenza epidemics.
•Prepare for the next influenza pandemic.

WHO Vision on influenza Surveillance and Control:
•Effective and timely influenza surveillance in all regions of the world.
•Antigenic and genetic match of influenza vaccine and current circulating influenza viruses.
•Efficient national influenza control strategies and campaigns
•Sufficient influenza vaccines made available before and during pandemics and epidemics.
Objectives:
Increase and strengthen global epidemic and pandemic through:
•Improve quality and global coverage of influenza surveillance.
•Improved understanding of health and economic burden of influenza including benefits from epidemic
control and pandemic preparedness including vaccine and pharmaceutical supplies.
•Expanded use of existing vaccines particularly in developing countries and in high-risk groups and accelerated introduction of new vaccines.
•More rapid communication and information exchange between WHO influenza Network Members and key partners and stakeholders.

Mission:Of course we are all worried about the AH1N1 virus that began to spread last year and which we have been fighting against now for various months. This virus shows us that we still have to organize ourselves better and have better plan of attack for all countries. So, let us look at what we have done, what worked and what didn’t and new ideas for the future.

Questions:

1. What resolution or work has been done on the problem (through out the world)?
2. What type of problems has your country had in relationship to influenza? Explain it.
3. What did your country do to control the latest influenza attack?(which measures taken)?
4. What is your country`s proposals to help the control and fight against influenza?
5. What solution can be given to solve the problem?