Isolation
Strategies to Contain an Outbreak
Ring
Vaccination Strategy
The Ring Vaccination
strategy has been used successfully in the past. This involves
vaccinating not only contacts of the case, but also the contacts
of contacts in order to interrupt the chain of transmission. This
has been so useful because we know that most transmission occurs
from close contact.
While ring vaccination
strategy is our primary means of stopping the chain of transmission,
we know that it depends on the prompt identification of contacts,
which will mean having trained staff who can do this. This strategy
allows us to conserve a limited vaccine supply and it minimizes
the risks of adverse events by covering only those who are at highest
risk.
Contacts
are defined as those having face-to-face contact with a smallpox
case, usually within 6 and a half feet, and/or those who are household
members of a smallpox case. If we can immunize them within 4 days
of exposure, we might be able to prevent a case completely, or
at least lessen the severity of the disease if they’re already
infected. These contacts should be monitored for fever, the first
indication of possible smallpox infection, for 18 days from their
last exposure to the smallpox case. For contacts of a smallpox
case, there are no contraindications for the use of vaccine. Because
of the infectiousness of smallpox, we know their risk of vaccine
adverse events is far outweighed by their risk of getting the disease.
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