Exercise Format
Exercise Purple Octagon was an International Functional Exercise delivered electronically from HPA in the UK to the ECDC EOC in Stockholm, and relevant EOC’s from the participating countries and organisations.
The exercise ran in real time and was conducted from 0800 on 16 September to 1400 on 17 September 2009.
Member States of the European Union (EU), 3rd countries and international organisations were invited to actively participate in the exercise. In addition, planners were encouraged to invite relevant health colleagues to contribute during the exercise. The following countries and organisations participated in the exercise:
- Canada
- Greece
- Holland
- Peoples Republic of China
- Poland
- Portugal
- Republic of South Africa
- United Kingdom
- European Commission DG - SANCO C3
In addition, representatives of the following countries and organisations were invited to ECDC, Stockholm, for the duration of the exercise as Observers/ Evaluators:
- Republic of Serbia (Observer)
- European Surveillance Scheme for Travel Associated Legionnaires’ Disease (EWGLINET) (Observer)
- World Health Organisation (Global Alert and Response) (Observer)
- Greece (Evaluator)
- Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA (Evaluator)
- World Health Organisation (Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Programme) (Evaluator)
- Health Protection Agency, UK (Evaluators).
Those Member States and Organisations who were not actively participating in the exercise were simulated by Exercise Control (EXCON).
Players were encouraged to follow their normal plans and procedures, use their standard methods of communication and to comply with current guidelines and Memorandum’s of Understanding relevant to the developing situation.
Communications to players from EXCON were based on a master events list which was designed to utilise all available means of communication e.g. telephone, teleconference, videoconference, facsimile, e-mail and the European Unions (EU) Early Warning and Response System (EWRS).