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Singapore drills in preparation for a bird flu pandemic

Students brought thermometers to school and hospital staff donned full protective gear yesterday as Singapore simulated a flu pandemic to test the city-state's readiness.

More than 1,000 health workers and public servants participated in day one of the two-day "Exercise Sparrowhawk," in addition to 500 volunteer patients.

The large-scale exercise involved 19 locations including Changi Airport, a ferry terminal, a border crossing to Malaysia, schools, hospitals, polyclinics and private clinics.

Although the city-state has not recorded a single case of bird flu, health authorities were taking no chances.

People visiting the National University and Singapore General Hospital had their temperatures scanned and received surgical masks to wear in wards. Both facilities posted signs informing visitors of the drill and handed out letters to confined patients.

Staff were dressed in full personal protective gear -- masks, gowns and gloves.

The bird-flu death toll in both Indonesia and Vietnam has hit 42. Other Southeast Asian countries have been hit as well, but with fewer fatal cases reported.

Authorities at three border checkpoints simulated moving "sick" volunteers on board a plane, a ferry and a tour bus to Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), while registering other "passengers" for contact tracing later.

Clinics and general practitioners were also isolating and transferring volunteer "patients" to TTSH.

The drills yesterday and today "will test and fine-tune" the Flu Pandemic Readiness and Response plan at various levels, the Ministry of Health said. It will determine how well border authorities, health institutions and schools can cope with patients in a pandemic.

"Exercises like this inject a degree of realism and help us better prepare," said K. Satku, the health ministry's director of medical services.
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