Abstract

DAVILA CORNEJO, Miguel et al. Health Control at International Borders: The role of Foreign Health during The Containment Phases of the Pandemic (H1N1) 2009. Rev. Esp. Salud Publica [online]. 2010, vol.84, n.5, pp.507-516. ISSN 2173-9110.

As a public health strategy in responding to epidemics, sanitary checks at borders to delay the entry of the pandemic virus into Spain are part of the containment phases activities. Their implementation is the responsibility of the Foreign Health Department and requires a coordinated action with other agencies involved in the response. This paper describes the actions undertaken at international airports during these phases and evaluates its efficacy in the execution of their objective. We establish a hypothesis to explain how the measures undertaken by Foreign Health and the collaboration with the National Surveillance System may have contributed to delay the spread of the virus into our country. We want to emphasize the need for consolidating the border control surveillance system and improving collaboration, as well as the importance of designing a clear communication strategy for the population in these settings. Together these measures, along with others, will prevent situations of uncertainty.

Keywords : Epidemiology; Sentinel surveillance; Disease Outbreaks; Influenza A virus; H1N1 subtype; Grippe; Influenza; human; Spain; Infectious disease transmission; Travels.

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