Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2006 Jan;12(1):88-94.
doi: 10.3201/eid1201.051371.

Non-pharmaceutical interventions for pandemic influenza, national and community measures

World Health Organization Writing Group  1 ; David Bell, Angus Nicoll, Keiji Fukuda, Peter Horby, Arnold Monto, Frederick Hayden, Clare Wylks, Lance Sanders, Jonathan van Tam
Affiliations

Non-pharmaceutical interventions for pandemic influenza, national and community measures

World Health Organization Writing Group et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2006 Jan.

Abstract

The World Health Organization's recommended pandemic influenza interventions, based on limited data, vary by transmission pattern, pandemic phase, and illness severity and extent. In the pandemic alert period, recommendations include isolation of patients and quarantine of contacts, accompanied by antiviral therapy. During the pandemic period, the focus shifts to delaying spread and reducing effects through population-based measures. Ill persons should remain home when they first become symptomatic, but forced isolation and quarantine are ineffective and impractical. If the pandemic is severe, social distancing measures such as school closures should be considered. Nonessential domestic travel to affected areas should be deferred. Hand and respiratory hygiene should be routine; mask use should be based on setting and risk, and contaminated household surfaces should be disinfected. Additional research and field assessments during pandemics are essential to update recommendations. Legal authority and procedures for implementing interventions should be understood in advance and should respect cultural differences and human rights.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. World Health Organization. WHO global influenza preparedness plan: the role of WHO and recommendations for national measures before and during pandemics. Annex 1. 2005. [cited 2005 Apr]. Available from http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/influenza/WHO_CDS_CSR_GIP_...
    1. World Health Organization. Non-pharmaceutical interventions: their role in reducing transmission and spread. 2005. [cited 2005 Nov]. Available from http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/pharmaintervention2005_11...
    1. World Health Organization Writing Group. Nonpharmaceutical interventions for pandemic influenza, international measures. Emerg Infect Dis. 2006;12:81–7. 10.3201/eid1201.051370 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. World Health Organization. Influenza A (H5N1): WHO interim infection control guidelines for healthcare facilities. 2004. Mar 10 [cited 2005 Oct]. Available from http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/guidelines/infectioncontr...
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim recommendations for infection control in health-care facilities caring for patients with known or suspected avian influenza. 2005. [cited 2005 Oct]. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/professional/infect-control.htm

LinkOut - more resources