Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Rescinding Community Mitigation Strategies in an Influenza Pandemic

Journal Article · · Emerging Infectious Diseases
 [1];  [2]
  1. Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Washington, DC (United States); Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD (United States)
  2. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Using a networked, agent-based computational model of a stylized community, we evaluated thresholds for rescinding 2 community mitigation strategies after an influenza pandemic. We ended child sequestering or all-community sequestering when illness incidence waned to thresholds of 0, 1, 2, or 3 cases in 7 days in 2 levels of pandemic severity. An unmitigated epidemic or strategy continuation for the epidemic duration served as control scenarios. The 0-case per 7-day rescinding threshold was comparable to the continuation strategy on infection and illness rates but reduced the number of days strategies would be needed by 6% to 32% in mild or severe pandemics. If cases recurred, strategies were resumed at a predefined 10-case trigger, and epidemic recurrence was thwarted. Strategies were most effective when used with high compliance and when combined with stringent rescinding thresholds. The need for strategies implemented for control of an influenza pandemic was reduced, without increasing illness rates.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0003525; AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
2471733
Journal Information:
Emerging Infectious Diseases, Journal Name: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 14; ISSN 1080-6040
Publisher:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (12)

Illness Among Schoolchildren During Influenza Season journal October 2002
Nonpharmaceutical Interventions Implemented by US Cities During the 1918-1919 Influenza Pandemic journal August 2007
Strategies for containing an emerging influenza pandemic in Southeast Asia journal August 2005
Strategies for mitigating an influenza pandemic journal April 2006
Epidemiological evidence of an early wave of the 1918 influenza pandemic in New York City journal July 2005
Mitigation strategies for pandemic influenza in the United States journal April 2006
Public health interventions and epidemic intensity during the 1918 influenza pandemic journal April 2007
Using Data on Social Contacts to Estimate Age-specific Transmission Parameters for Respiratory-spread Infectious Agents journal September 2006
Containing Pandemic Influenza at the Source journal August 2005
Reducing the Impact of the Next Influenza Pandemic Using Household-Based Public Health Interventions journal August 2006
Targeted Social Distancing Designs for Pandemic Influenza journal January 2006
Pandemic Influenza School Closure Policies journal February 2007

Similar Records

Effective, Robust Design of Community Mitigation for Pandemic Influenza: A Systematic Examination of Proposed US Guidance
Journal Article · Wed Jul 02 00:00:00 EDT 2008 · PLoS ONE · OSTI ID:1627354

Targeted Social Distancing Designs for Pandemic Influenza
Journal Article · Tue Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 2006 · Emerging Infectious Diseases · OSTI ID:2471732

The effect of healthcare environments on a pandemic influenza outbreak.
Conference · Tue Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 2010 · OSTI ID:1035631