[Pandemic preparedness planning. What did we learn from the influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009?]

Since 2001, the German states and federal institutions have been engaged in systematic pandemic preparedness planning. Preparedness was largely in an advanced stage and most probably contributed to successful control of the influenza H1N1 (2009) pandemic in Germany. Adaptation and improvement are needed most in the fields of vaccine logistics and communication. In the future, the national plan as well as the WHO pandemic plan should distinguish more clearly between pandemic warning phases for preparation of structures, on the one hand, and epidemiologic situations for activation of measures, on the other hand. The proper balance between a uniform national approach and the local adaptation of measures within Germany remains another challenge. Although the course of the influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 was moderate, pandemic preparedness planning remains of utmost importance and must be adapted rigorously and early according to the recent experience.