Slow the Spread of Respiratory Viruses with Nonpharmaceutical Intervention Tips from CDC

​The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added several new elements to its Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza in its April 21, 2017,Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The guidelines discuss nonpharmaceutical interventions that can be used to slow the spread of respiratory viruses. Although the guidelines will replace the 2007 Interim Pre-Pandemic Planning Guidance: Community Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Mitigation in the United States — Early, Targeted, Layered Use of Nonpharmaceutical Interventions, many of the 2007 recommendations remain. These include using personal protective measures for everyday use (such as practicing hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette), personal protective measures during an influenza pandemic (voluntary home quarantine of infected individuals), community measures (closing schools during outbreaks), and environmental measures (routine cleaning of touched surfaces).