European pandemic influenza planning assumptions

In January 2009, ECDC held a meeting of experts engaged in formulating pandemic influenza planning assumptions at a European level. The main objectives of the meeting were: gathering together the assumptions used in and within countries (national versus local perspective) and those recommended by international bodies; discussing which assumptions are useful for planners; discussing the differences in assumptions among European countries and whether they matter; and identifying gaps and agreeing on whether or not a European consensus on planning assumption ranges would be useful and what further work should be undertaken.