Exercise Format
This exercise was a one-day Functional Exercise, delivered from exercise control co-located at ECDC in a separate room, close to the ECDC Emergency Operations Centre. The exercise started at 0800 CEST and was conducted in real time until 1530 CEST, when a time jump of two weeks was introduced to enable a consideration of the recovery phase. The exercise finished at 1630 CEST.
The Exercise was an internal Functional Exercise which explored the processes for activation, maintenance and recovery from a Public Health Emergency (PHE) according to the PHE operational plan (PHEOP). External organisations (WHO, DG SANCO) and Member States (Ministries of Health from France, Belgium, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia) were simulated by Exercise Control. There was no external ‘live’ play. Pseudo Media, based in Exercise Control, replicated queries from external press agencies and media.
The exercise was delivered in nineteen injects including media injects. Information to participants was provided by emails replicating the Early Warning & Response System (EWRS) as well as emails and telephone calls replicating contact from external agencies and pseudo media. Hard copies of simulated social media and news reports were also provided to the ECDC communications participants.