TTXPandemic Influenza Simulations

Pandemic Influenza Contingency(PIC)

PIC / OCHA

Table Top Exercise

Goal: To Raise Awareness of the impact of an influenza pandemic(1 day)

Buy-in at high levelIdentification of keypreparedness elementsIdentification of areasrequired to support national preparedness

e.g.: PIC TTX

Success= High-level participationGaps & follow-up Actions identified

Goal: To Test the Plan (conceptually / logically)(1-2 day)

Does the plan make sense? Are there gaps? Clear up misunderstandings

e.g.: UNCT simulation

Success= Participants werefamiliar with the plan Plan held up during test

Goal: To Test Systems & SOPs(1/2 day)

Test the SOPs Test the Phone tree Can the staff / systems perform as trained/planned?

Success= Key systems work Key staff can use them

Joint Exercise

Goal:To Test Multi-ActorCoherence(5+ days)

Full-scale, Multi-actor Dress Rehearsal

Success= SOPs are fully understood and carried out

Functional Exercise

Skill Drill

1

2

3

4

PIC / OCHA

The TTX Scenario

Confusion, confirmation and containment

Initial confused reports of respiratory illness.

Government commences a containment operation.

Confirmation of a novel highly pathogenic virus with human to human transmission.

Area AffectedLimited to regional non bordering country

Virus spreads

Containment operation fails to prevent a rapid spread of the virus.

Commencement of border controls and travel restrictions.

Disruption to many essential services

Area AffectedSpreads through the region and reaches your country

Pandemic

Virus spreads throughout your country.

Continuation of operations affected by lack of staff and disruption to public services.

Increase in mortality rate.

Humanitarian crisis.

Area AffectedGlobal pandemic with varying degrees of severity by region

PIC / OCHA

TTX Simulation Process• Participatory approach involving senior level officials

and key staff

• Forum to discuss and examine simulatedemergency situations to test assumptions and arrangements of an emergency plan and identify gaps

• Time scale is usually few hours

• Table-top guided by simulated series of events

PIC / OCHA

Planning elements

PIC / OCHA

• Organisational Structure – modes of operation to be used during the various stages of pandemic including the command and control and mechanisms for internal coordination.

• Triggers – identification of triggers, policies and actions to be taken based on the agreed organisational structure.

• Continuity of operations – prioritisation of essential programmes to be continued and identification of the requirements / resources needed to ensure this continuity.

• Staff health and safety – measures to be considered in order to ensure staff are able to continue to provide essential services.

• Support to National Government – assistance to national planning and preparedness and identification and planning for possible additional support during pandemic

• External communications – determine the protocols and messages for external communications

TTX Simulation Objectives

• Raise the level of awareness of an influenza pandemic and the impact that it might have on staff health / safety and continuity of business.

• Understand through the use of scenarios the key requirements for preparedness measures to ensure health / safety of staff and continuity of essential services during pandemic.

• Plan for addition possible additional requirements to support national pandemic preparedness actions.

PIC / OCHA

Agenda

09:15- 09:45 Welcome and introduction

09:45 - 10:00 Simulation briefing

10:00 - 10:30 Scenario 1

10:30 - 11:15 Scenario 2

11:15 - 11:30 Coffee break

11:30 - 12:45 Scenario 3

13:00 - 14:00 Lunch

14:00 - 14:25 Breakout Groups – identification of key issues / gaps

14:30 - 14:40 Group presentations summaries

14:45 - 15:30 Plenary discussion: Strengths & Weaknesses of UN System Influenza Contingency Planning

15:30 - 15:45 Coffee break

16:00 - 16:20 Breakout Groups – prioritisation and next steps

16:20 – 16:40 Group presentations

16:40 – 17:00 Summary

17:00 Questions and open issues

EXERCISE