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NEWS ARCHIVES |
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CDC Releases Interim Pre-pandemic
Planning Guidance: Community Strategy for Pandemic Influenza
Mitigation in the United States
CDC is releasing new Interim Pre-pandemic Planning Guidance: Community Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Mitigation in the United States - Early, Targeted, Layered use of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions for State, territorial, tribal, and local communities on February 1st that focuses on several non-pharmaceutical measures (interventions other than vaccination and drug treatment) that might be useful during an influenza pandemic to reduce its harm. Communities, individuals and families, employers, schools, and other organizations will be asked to plan for the use of these interventions to help limit the spread of a pandemic, prevent disease and death, lessen the impact on the economy, and keep society functioning. This interim guidance introduces a Pandemic Severity Index to characterize the severity of a pandemic, provides planning recommendations for specific interventions that communities may use for a given level of pandemic severity, and suggests when these measures should be started and how long they should be used. Please also note the tailored planning guides in the Appendices of this document for businesses and other employers, child care programs, elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, faith-based and community organizations, and individuals and families. For example, pp 97-101 Appendix 8 is a Pandemic Influenza Community Mitigation Interim Planning Guide for Faith-Based and Community Organizations. Community mitigation recommendations include the following: 1. Asking ill people to voluntarily remain at home and not go to work or out in the community for about 7-10 days or until they are well and can no longer spread the infection to others (ill individuals may be treated with influenza antiviral medications, as appropriate, and if these medications are effective and available). 2. Asking members of households with a person who is ill to voluntarily remain at home for about 7 days (household members may be provided with antiviral medications, if these medications are effective and sufficient in quantity and feasible mechanisms for their distribution have been developed). 3. Dismissing students from schools (including public and private schools as well as colleges and universities) and school-based activities and closure of childcare programs for up to 12 weeks, coupled with protecting children and teenagers through social distancing in the community, to include reductions of out-of-school social contacts and community mixing. 4. Recommending social distancing of adults in the community, which may include cancellation of large public gatherings; changing workplace environments and schedules to decrease social density and preserve a healthy workplace to the greatest extent possible without disrupting essential services; ensuring work-leave policies to align incentives and facilitate adherence with the measures outlined above. A vaccine is our best protection, but it won’t be available when a pandemic begins. Planning now for taking coordinated action early in a pandemic is our best chance of limiting the spread of disease and reducing the number of people who become sick, until a vaccine becomes available during a pandemic. The full document is attached and can also be accessed at http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/community/mitigation.html. Scott
Santibañez MD MPHTM |
