Post-Event Operational Issues

Post-Event Response

Public health response to a smallpox outbreak will require that all suspected cases be investigated for their likelihood of being a case, their likely source of infection (which may lead to the identification of other cases), and the contacts that they may have exposed to the smallpox virus. This information will assist with determining the origin and potential scope of the outbreak and will also help formulate the type and level of control strategies that are required (e.g. focused vaccination vs. larger-scale vaccination). Surveillance activities include finding potential cases, monitoring contacts for symptoms, and monitoring vaccine effectiveness and adverse event rates. These surveillance activities will assist in assessing how well the control strategies are working and if they need to be modified during the course of the outbreak. 

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