Monday, April 27, 2009, 22:10 EDT (10:10 PM EDT)
CDCHAN-00284-2009-04-27-UPD-N
Interim
CDC Guidance for Nonpharmaceutical Community
Mitigation in Response to Human Infections with Swine Influenza (H1N1) Virus
Background
As part of the ongoing investigation into the outbreak of swine influenza A
(H1N1) in the
On April 26, 2009, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security,
Janet Napolitano, announced that the Department of Health and Human Services
declared a public health emergency in the
Community mitigation actions are also recommended to prevent illness. Steps
including home isolation of cases, school dismissals, and other social
distancing interventions may be implemented by communities and families as part
of a comprehensive program of infection control. Community mitigation
strategies may be different for each state or community depending on the
numbers of cases and spread of disease. As a result, CDC is issuing mitigation
guidance that includes a range of interventions so that public health
authorities can identify the most appropriate means to protect their counties,
communities, and citizens.
CDC is recommending home isolation of ill persons. Persons who develop
influenza-like-illness (ILI) (fever with either cough or sore throat) should be
strongly encouraged to self-isolate in their home for 7 days after the onset of
illness or at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer.
Persons who experience
Communities should consider school dismissals and childcare facility
closures. Dismissal of students should be strongly considered in schools with a
confirmed or a suspected case epidemiologically linked to a confirmed case.
Decisions regarding broader school dismissal within these communities should be
left to local authorities, taking into account the extent of
Schools and childcare facilities in unaffected areas should begin to
prepare for the possibility of school dismissal or childcare facility closure.
This includes asking teachers, parents, and officials in charge of critical
school-associated programs (such as meal services) to make contingency plans.
CDC recommends that other social distancing interventions be considered.
Large gatherings linked to settings or institutions with laboratory-confirmed
cases should be cancelled, for example a school event linked to a school with
cases; other large gatherings in the community may not need to be cancelled at
this time. Additional social distancing measures are currently not recommended.
Persons with underlying medical conditions who are at high risk for
complications of influenza may wish to consider avoiding large gatherings.
A more detailed list of Community Mitigation Guidelines can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/mitigation.htm.
This is a rapidly evolving situation and CDC will provide updated guidance
and new information as it becomes available. As public health officials in the
Additional public health recommendations can be found at the following CDC
Web sites:
- Interim Recommendations for Facemask and Respirator
Use in Certain Community Settings Where Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus
Transmission Has Been Detected
- MMWR: Prevention and Control of Influenza:
Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP), 2008 MMWR July 17, 2008 / 57(Early Release);1-60
- Interim Guidance on Antiviral Recommendations for
Patients with Confirmed or Suspected Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus
Infection and Close Contacts
- Interim Guidance for Swine influenza A (H1N1):
Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home For additional information about
swine flu see www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu.
For information
about the current swine flu investigation, see www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/investigation.htm.
You can access the same information by calling 1-800-CDC-INFO.
HAN Message Types
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- Health Advisory: Provides important information for a specific incident or situation; may not require immediate action. Example: HAN00316
- Health Update: Provides updated information regarding an incident or situation; unlikely to require immediate action. Example: HAN00309
- Info Service: Provides general information that is not necessarily considered to be of an emergent nature. Example: HAN00319
## This Message was distributed to State and Local Health Officers, Public Information Officers, Epidemiologists and HAN Coordinators as well as Clinician organizations ##
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