[An After-Action Review at Municipal Level in the Public Health Service - Lessons Learned at the Corona Unit of the Duesseldorf Public Health Authority after the end of the Covid-19 Pandemic, March 2023].

Background: After-Action Reviews (AARs) represent structured, qualitative evaluations of crisis interventions. Here, we describe the implementation of an AAR to assess the Corona Unit of the Duesseldorf Health Department.

Methods: We employed an after-action review (AAR) using the working group format supplemented by structured interviews with key personnel.

Mass gathering events and undetected transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in vulnerable populations leading to an outbreak with high case fatality ratio in the district of Tirschenreuth, Germany.

In early March 2020, a COVID-19-outbreak occurred in the district of Tirschenreuth, Germany. The outbreak was characterised by a rapid increase in case numbers and a comparatively high crude case fatality ratio (CFR; 11%). Until the beginning of May 2020, 1122 cases were reported in the district.

Actions for prevention and control of health threats related to maritime transport in European Union.

Background: Actions at European Union level for International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 implementation and maritime transport were focused on two European projects implemented between 2006 and 2011.

Method: Situation analysis and needs assessment were conducted, a Manual including European standards and best practice and training material was developed and training courses were delivered. Ship-to-port and port-to-port communication web-based network and database for recording IHR Ship Sanitation Certificates (SSC) were established.

Modeling the transmission risk of emerging infectious diseases through blood transfusion.

Background: A timely risk assessment is desired to guide decisions on preventive transfusion safety measures during emerging infectious disease (EID) outbreaks. The European Up-Front Risk Assessment Tool (EUFRAT) model was developed to provide quantitative transmission risk estimates of EIDs through blood transfusion.

Study Design And Methods: The generic model comprises five sequential steps to estimate the infection risks in the blood transfusion chain: 1) the prevalence of infection in the donor population, 2) the risk of obtaining infected donations, 3) infected components, 4) infected blood products, and 5) the risk of transmitting the infection to recipients.

Developing pandemic preparedness in Europe in the 21st century: experience, evolution and next steps.

Problem: Improving pandemic planning and preparedness is a challenge in Europe, a diverse region whose regional bodies (the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization [WHO], the European Commission and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) have overlapping roles and responsibilities.

Approach: European pandemic preparedness indicators were used to develop an assessment tool and procedure based on the 2005 global WHO checklist for pandemic preparedness. These were then applied to Member States of WHO's European Region, initially as part of structured national assessments conducted during short visits by external teams.