US embassy cable - 05PRAGUE1264

UNCLAS PRAGUE 001264 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO, EZ, KSTH, WHO 
SUBJECT: CZECH READINESS FOR POSSIBLE AVIAN FLU OUTBREAK - 
PREPARING, BUT WANT A VACCINE 
 
REF: STATE 153802 
 
1. (U) Michael Vit, Deputy Health Minister and Chief Public 
Health Officer, briefed Embassy officials August 29 on steps 
already taken, as well as those planned, to deal with an 
outbreak of avian flu.  The Czech Republic has a plan for 
pandemics and that plan is now being evaluated for its 
effectiveness against avian influenza.  The Czechs work 
closely with the EU and participate in its pandemic early 
warning system. 
 
2. (U)  Vit works closely with the State Veterinary Service, 
which has responsibility for monitoring the health of the 
nation's animals. Last week the Czechs suspended the import 
of chickens from Russia. Vit said the poultry industry in the 
Czech Republic consists of small scale farms, rather than 
large-scale high-density operations found elsewhere in Europe 
and so far the Czechs have not taken any steps to keep 
chickens indoors, as the Dutch have done. Vit said Czech 
officials are aware of the possibility that birds migrating 
south from infected areas could spread the disease to birds 
that summer in Northern and Central Europe. 
 
3. (U) Vit said that the Czech Republic is one of 25 
countries with a supply of influenza antivirals. The Czechs 
have purchased approximately 600,000 doses, enough for 6% of 
the population, at a cost of 300 million crowns (USD 12.5 
million).  They would like to double that supply in order to 
be able to serve everyone in what Vit considers the high risk 
group, health workers and those with chronic illnesses.  But 
Vit explained that the Czechs do not have any vaccines for 
bird flu. Vit told us he is in contact with the Pasteur 
Institute, and Roche about purchasing vaccines, and also 
Baxter Labs in connection with possible production in the 
Czech Republic. Vit requested Embassy assistance in 
identifying other sources of the vaccine.  Vit also said he 
would like to see more cooperation with the CDC in Atlanta on 
avian flu, as well as other public health issues. 
 
4. (U) Vit told us about the Czech response to the SARS 
outbreak two years ago and how they learned from the 
experience.  For one thing, they were forced to confront 
unexpected issues, such as the protection of personal data. 
He said authorities were initially against the idea of 
sharing information such as dates and places visited by 
private travellers.  At the time, Vit successfully made the 
case that public health concerns should outweigh concerns 
over privacy. 
 
MUNTER