Cablegate: Pandemic Influenza: Mission Vietnam Preparations For

VZCZCXRO4834
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB
DE RUEHHI #2884 3250857
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 210857Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4016
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 2167
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 3044
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5633
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 1064
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0749
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0281
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 1430
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USDP/ISA/AP//
RHMFISS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5//
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO-3//
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5//
RHEFAFM/DIRAFMIC FT DETRICK MD//MA-1A//

UNCLAS HANOI 002884

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, MED
STATE PASS TO HHS/OGHA (WSTIEGER, EELVANDER AND ABHAT)
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (LSTERN)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT AMED TBIO ASEC KFLU KSAF KSEO VM
SUBJECT: PANDEMIC INFLUENZA: MISSION VIETNAM PREPARATIONS FOR
POSSIBLE SHELTER-IN-PLACE

REF: A) STATE 177681, B) HANOI 1598, C) HANOI 727, D) (2005) State
183776, E) (2005) STATE 219189

1. (U) Embassy Hanoi and the Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City
(HCMC) have developed basic shelter-in-place plans and taken a
number of steps to inform all employees and their families of the
need to prepare for pandemic influenza, including the need to
maintain emergency food stocks, per previous guidance in reftels D
and E. As previously reported (reftels B and C), Post has developed
extensive tripwires and contingency plans and conducted a tabletop
exercise by digital video conference with Consulate General HCMC.

2. (U) Since February 2005, Post has provided guidance through
Administrative Notices, town hall forums, seminars, and distribution
of health-related materials (both informational and physical
supplies) in support of specific
events, such as immunization campaigns, to inform staff about
preparedness, including the need for individual households to
stockpile food and water. To promote behavioral change among staff
and families (both American employees and LES), Post's Avian
Influenza Working Group (AIWG) has repeated successful elements of
previous campaigns to ensure improved preparedness over time.

3. (U) Water supplies remain a primary concern since water supplies
in Hanoi and HCMC are not potable. Based on previous guidance
(reftel E), Post enacted plans to advise employees of the need for
two weeks of potable water in the event of a shelter-in-place
scenario. Given the latest guidance (reftel A), Post is now
updating materials and campaigns to assess and address a need for at
least 2 weeks and up to 12 weeks of potable water for all American
and LES families. Post has made this element a high priority in the
updating of planning coincident with the expected seasonal upsurge
in influenza activity.

4. (U) Specifically concerning preparations for water, Post is
assessing: a) the completeness of implementation of filtration
systems in all households; b) the probability of catastrophic
cessation of the city water supply in Hanoi and HCMC; c) access to
supplemental water supplies such as lakes, cisterns, and swimming
pools; d) the need for supplemental training and equipment required
for water treatment (because the supplemental water supplies are
mostly not potable); and, e) costs (i.e., financial, space, and
logistical) and benefits of increasing the supplemental potable
water storage. Results of the AIWG water assessment is expected by
the end of December, 2006.

5. (U) We invite offices from relevant departments or agencies with
expertise in emergency preparedness and infectious diseases to
comment on the anticipated effectiveness of planning to date.
Program-related advice should be sent electronically to our AIWG
Chair Captain Michael Iademarco at iademarcoMF@state.gov and AIWG
Vice-Chair Karen McGuire-Rugh at McGuire-RughKA2@state.gov.

MARINE

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