CDC seeks data on nondrug prevention of pandemic flu

[Guest guest]

The following article seems bizarre to me. The CDC is spending $5.2 million

to determine if " hand washing, cough etiquette and face masks " could help

limit the spread of a pandemic flu. Ummmm? Yes?

But what is really bizarre to me, is the concept that the CDC is

anticipating a possible future need for the masses to be wearing masks to

protect

against airborne microbes, bacteria and viruses. Doesn't that sound like

something

out of a futuristic sci-fi movie?

Sharon

CDC seeks data on nondrug prevention of pandemic flu

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/panflu/news/oct1306grants.h

tml

Roos * News Editor

Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy

Oct 13, 2006 (CIDRAP News) – The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) plans to fund eight studies on whether simple

measures such as handwashing, " cough etiquette, " and face masks could

help limit the extent of the next influenza pandemic.

The CDC announced this week it would provide a total of $5.2 million

to research institutions, some outside the United States, to assess

nonpharmaceutical measures for battling pandemic flu.

The announcement comes amid a wide-ranging CDC effort to come up with

specific guidelines on the use of such prevention steps by the end of

this year, according to Dr. Cetron, director of the agency's

Division of Global Migration and Quarantine.

Nonpharmaceutical measures may serve as a first line of defense in a

pandemic, since it could take several months to develop an effective

vaccine, the CDC said in a news release. But officials said there is

little scientific evidence about the effectiveness and potential

impact of such steps.

" Our challenge now is to determine which community-level measures will

work best to limit the spread of infection, " CDC Director Dr.

Gerberding commented in the announcement.

Besides handwashing, cough etiquette, and masks, community prevention

measures include " social distancing " steps such as closing schools and

workplaces and canceling large gatherings. Other steps include

voluntary isolation of patients and voluntary quarantine of their

household contacts, according to the CDC.

Initial results from some of the studies should be available within

about a year, Cetron told CIDRAP News yesterday. Several of the

studies will involve following groups of people through the upcoming

flu season, he said.

The studies and their principal investigators are as follows:

* Effectiveness of Selective Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions in

Reducing Influenza-Like Illness Among University Students, Tomas

Aragon, MD, University of California, Berkeley

* Pittsburgh Influenza Prevention Project, Burke, MD, and

Sam Stebbins, MD, University of Pittsburgh

* Nonpharmaceutical Interventions for Pandemic Influenza,

Holmberg, MD, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North

Carolina

* A Controlled Trial of Masks and Hand Hygiene for Reducing

Influenza Transmission, Leung, MD, University of Hong Kong

* Reducing Transmission of Influenza by Face Masks, Arnold Monto,

MD, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

* Stopping Upper Respiratory Infections and Influenza in the

Family: the Stuffy Trial, Elaine Larson, PhD, Columbia University, New

York

* Pandemic Influenza Control at the Border of Island Countries and

in Households, Baker, MD, University of Otago, New Zealand

* Evaluation of Masks as a Source Control Non-Pharmaceutical

Intervention, Milton, MD, PhD, University of Massachusetts,

Lowell

Cetron said the CDC has had requests from state and local public

health agencies and other groups for specific guidelines on community

prevention measures. The current federal pandemic flu plan contains

some general information on the topic, but groups have asked for more

details, he said.

" We've been engaging for the last several months in responding to that

need for greater specificity, " Cetron said. " We've been working with

many external partners and stakeholders to come up with more refined

guidance for community preparedness. We hope to have an interim

document by the end of the year. "

When available, the findings of the studies announced yesterday will

be used to help refine the guidelines, he said. Other plans include " a

series of public engagement projects around the country over the next

months. " In addition, the CDC has asked the Institute of Medicine to

assess community prevention measures by examining mathematical

modeling studies and historical evidence.

" The science base used to formulate some of these policies [on

nonpharmaceutical control measures] is thin, " Cetron said. " We're

trying to develop a new evidence and science base. . . . This is an

ongoing process that will continue to be informed by new studies. "

The CDC has also engaged the Harvard University School of Public

Health to gauge public opinion and knowledge on the topic. A group led

by Dr. Blendon is polling people about their ability or

willingness to cooperate in prevention measures, such as by staying

home from work when sick and finding child care if schools close.

" His group is actively working on this project now; we expect to have

some results in a couple of weeks, " Cetron said.