"The new influenza (H1N1) world pandemic could hit Hungary by the autumn, said Beatrix Oroszi epidemiologist at the National Epidemiology Centre said on Monday. In response to the findings of a survey, she urged much bigger focus on crisis plans by corporates.According to a survey, only two of every ten companies have some kind of crisis management plan for an outbreak of the new flu.
Oroszi said there would be a huge need for crisis plans at companies, as in larger communities the chances of transmission multiply and an outbreak would reduce productivity and the quality of services. A pandemic of influenza A lasting 10 to 15 days could infect 1.3-3.5 million people in Hungary with a population of 10 million. “The case-fatality ratio is expected to be higher than at seasonal influenza," she predicted.
Zsolt Németh, Director of International Affairs at Hungary's Omninvest, said the company has already started to produce the vaccine against influenza A. Depending on a government decision, some of the vaccine would be available free of charge, while another percentage would cost about the same as vaccines for seasonal flu (cc. HUF 1,200), he added.
In an ideal case, Oroszi said, half of the population should receive the vaccine, but a timely preparation for the outbreak could prove to be effective even if fewer people than that received the shots."
Source: Portfolio Online Financial Journal
21.07.2009