Pandemic Planning Not a Priority in U.S., Despite Bird-Flu Threat

This article highlights the need for Information Technology (IT) organisations to plan for, and have a process in place to adapt to changing conditions in the event of a possible avian influenza pandemic. According to Ken McGee, an analyst at Gartner Inc., few IT organisations are ready for a possible pandemic, and he is concerned that a declining level of concern about avian flu will leave people unable to respond to a pandemic once it arrives.

According to an online poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, a United States (US) research organisation, levels of concern about bird flu have diminished in the US since 2006. The survey polled 1,438 US residents on avian flu. When questioned about the issue of bird flu, 27% of the respondents said they were "concerned," down from 35% in a similar survey the previous year. 41% said they were "not concerned," compared with 31% in 2006. The survey also gauged the level of news and media coverage on avian flu. One question asked, "How much have you read, heard or seen about bird flu?" In 2006, 74% of the people who were surveyed answered "a lot/some." In 2007, the percentage of respondents who chose that answer fell to 56%.

According to the article, Scott McPherson, head of the Florida Chief Information Officers (CIO) Pandemic Preparedness Committee, is puzzled by the lack of attention that the possible pandemic threat is getting in the US. He believes that IT orgnaisations need to be prepared for the potential of a pandemic. According to McPherson, in the event of a pandemic, network-overload and lack of access to broadband will render telecommuting programmes unworkable. In addition, organisations will not be able to rely on the timely delivery of information via paper forms and documents, as paper that may contain the virus would need to be quarantined for up to 24 hours.