The use of combination strategies necessitates the availability of resources and feasibility for each individual component. For example, stockpiling of pharmaceutical agents is an integral part of preparedness plans and currently widely adopted in well-resourced countries. The increase in anti-viral drug resistance underscores the importance of combination drug use and provides policy makers with recommendations for their stockpiles [15] . Combination stockpiles of sufficient amounts of different antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir, zanamivir and adamantanes will allow for early combination chemotherapy or sequential multidrug therapy which was modeled to be effective against antiviral resistance when a small secondary stockpile was used to augment a primary stockpile [15] . The United States Federal stockpile is composed of 80% oseltamivir and 20% zanamivir, and several million doses of rimantadine from previous stockpiles [29] . The United Kingdom has purchased additional antiviral drugs to ensure it has a total stockpile for 50% of its population, comprising 68% oseltamivir and 32% zanamivir [30] . Bacterial pneumonia results in substantial morbidity and mortality among pandemic influenza cases [31, 32] . Antibiotics should therefore be considered for stockpiling [31] . Stockpiles should take into account common locally circulating bacteria, and recommended amounts range from 10 to 25% of the population [33] . In contrast to antiviral drugs that are not widely used, antibiotics can be part of a rolling stockpile which ensures sufficient stockpiles without expiry issues. Vaccination against bacterial infections should likewise be considered.