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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