BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Although the A/H1N1 epidemic wanes, many countries still remain alert as the World Health Organization(WHO) warns the world of a new wave of the deadly virus.

    WHO Director General Margaret Chan warned that there had been second and third waves in previous epidemics, adding that "we needto be prepared for whatever surprises this capricious new virus delivers next."

　　COMING THREATS

    While the seasonal flu disappears with warm weather, A/H1N1 flu is continuing to spread during the summer, which proves the new flu is more durable and infectious.

    As cooler autumn and winter seasons are approaching, the Northern Hemisphere have to therefore step up their preparations to track and tackle a likely new outbreak of the A/H1N1 flu alongside the annual seasonal flu battle.

    The threat of flu increases at the start of the new school term in September. Some people fear that allowing children to mingle in classrooms during the regular flu season would help the virus regain strength.

    Many experts attributed the recent downtrend in infections to the fact that schools were closed for the summer. However, some countries don't believe delaying school opening dates would curb the spread.

    "The closing of schools, while theoretically helpful, as it turns out really doesn't help," David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief public health officer, said at a press conference.

    Spain's autonomous regional governments said they would not change the early September opening date for the region's schools although at least 15 people have died from the A/H1N1 flu.

    Even though the respected medical journal The Lancet recommended that schools remain closed after the summer holidays, the British government has decided to reopen schools, saying that there was no sufficient evidence to prove that closing schools would help stop the flu spread.

    UNREADY VACCINE

    Although the symptoms of the A/H1N1 flu have been proven to be mild in the majority of known cases, people still hope to conquer the new virus. While the preventive A/H1N1 flu vaccine kindles hope, the question about its side-effects dampens moods.

    It is still unclear whether the vaccine is safe and effective enough for high-risk groups, as the majority of A/H1N1 patients are pregnant women, children, the elderly and adults with underlying medical conditions.

    WHO's Vaccine Director Marie-Paule Kieny said several drug makers have started testing A/H1N1 flu vaccine in humans, and that early safety results should be available next month, clearing the way for its use.

    Besides uncertainty regarding vaccine safety, the likely vaccine shortage also raises worries around the world.

    The WHO has cut its initial estimates of 94 million doses a week beginning in October due to poorer than expected yields from the so-called "seed virus" strains developed by WHO-approved laboratories.

    Many pharmaceutical companies are racing against the clock to test, produce and ship more than 1 billion doses of A/H1N1 flu vaccines. However, even if the process runs smoothly, delivery would not be able to keep up with increasing demand as winter approaches, the WHO warned.

    Meanwhile, the rush to put vaccines onto the market through fast-track clinical trials has prompted some experts to sound a note of caution.

    The vaccine shortage also raises the dilemma of who gets priority for the vaccine.

    "We need to gather advice on priority groups for initial protection," Chan said.

    "This is one of the most difficult decisions governments around the world will need to make, especially as we know that supplies will be extremely limited for some months to come," she concluded.

    OTHER MEASURES

    While waiting for the flu vaccine production, many countries are already reinforcing healthcare capacity, stockpiling antiviraldrugs like Tamiflu and closing down schools temporarily in an attempt to control the disease.

    French Education Minister Luc Chatel said 12 million booklets, entitled "Finding out about influenza A/H1N1 and the education of your child," would be distributed to families on the first day of class.

    The Mexican government announced it was seeking to borrow 400 million dollars from the World Bank to refurbish the National Epidemiological Vigilance System's computer network and to buy A/H1N1 flu medicines and vaccines to refill the nation's strategic medicine reserves.

    "The preparedness undertaken by many countries and organizations really did make a significant difference in the response," WHO Assistant Director General Keiji Fukuda said.

    "It is clear, however, that we still need to continue to work on the preparedness aspect. What this really means is that we need to improve awareness and knowledge and strengthen national and international capacities," he added.

    "Everyone must be ready," WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said. "It(A/H1N1 flu) is already among us, as we saw this summer."

Special Report:  World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu