A disease, such as avian influenza poses a substantial risk to the global population because at some, unpredictable, point in the future a strain may emerge that transmits easily between humans. If this occurs, the aviation community may be asked by the World Health Organization (WHO) to take action in order to assist in limiting its spread by air transport. Further, the economy of the aviation sector, and industries that rely on it, will undoubtedly be detrimentally affected as passengers choose to avoid flying to areas where there is a perceived increased risk of disease. For both reasons it is therefore necessary to plan for such an event, in order to mitigate the effects of a human outbreak.

 

ICAO is coordinating an international effort to bring together expertise from such organizations as the WHO, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Airports Council International (ACI) and other partners to assist in preparedness planning, not only for pandemic influenza but for other communicable diseases or other types of public health event that might cause a public health emergency. ICAO gained experience in developing such guidelines during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003. Guidelines for that disease are provided in the link.