The authorities in the United Kingdom have released a new updated flu pandemic plan to be prepared to take action on various levels.

The Department of Health released the plan that has been prepared with inputs from medical experts. The department wants to avoid panic during such an event and thus wants to be ready with its safeguard strategy. The authorities said that they would ban gatherings and would not allow commute of public transport from areas that have been affected.

The medical experts also said that they do not wish to disrupt educations and thus there will be no school closures. The doctors will be informed to begin public awareness in advance. The novel UK health plan includes 70- page document that mainly focuses on prevention of a pandemic instead of corrective actions.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley affirmed, "Good communications, strong preparations and close working with our health and social care professions are key to ensuring the impact on services and to the public is kept to a minimum should a pandemic occur".

Even as the department is confident of its plan, it has said in the document that the NHS should be ready for 210,000 to 315,000 deaths in pandemic time. The new strategy is expected to improve NHS and government response in the event of an epidemic.