Logistics aspects of avian influenza pandemic in Hong Kong

This paper investigates the logistics of handling possible avian influenza outbreaks. The research investigates various aspects of avian influenza relevant to the Hong Kong circumstances, such as literature review and the financial impacts of avian influenza pandemic. Then the paper will focus on various ways to minimise the risks of pandemic, such as the use of vaccination, non‐pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) and poultry‐slaughtering centre plan. This paper concentrates on discussing various logistics responses that can help the medical personnels to do their jobs more effectively in a possible avian influenza outbreak. This research concludes that vaccination and the NPI are important measures in countering the avian flu pandemic in the early stage of its widespread. This paper also supports any measures that can trace the infected poultry as a way to prevent an avian influenza outbreak in the very first place. In this aspect, the research investigates about the Singapore experience in operating poultry‐slaughtering centres. In view of the current trends, this paper concludes that the establishment of a central poultry‐slaughtering centre becomes a less favourable policy options.