The Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan for the Health Sector

Recommendations for Management of Contacts of Cases
Pandemic Alert Period: Localized or widespread cluster activity in Canada –
Phase 5.2
Indicator: Cluster(s) occurring in Canada with “substantial” pandemic risk based on various factors,
e.g. rate of transmission, geographic localization and spread, severity of illness, impact of control
measures, presence of genes from human strains (if derived from an animal strain), other information
from the viral genome, and/or other scientific information).
Monitoring
Activity Restriction
Aggressively implement protocols for influenza case and outbreak
management as long as possible 21 with consideration of the
recommendations for infection control in Annex F 22 .
Assessment of exposure may involve identifying possible exposure sites
(e.g. schools, workplace) rather than trying to identify individuals that
were in close contact with the case.
If feasible consider active surveillance for close contacts of the case(s).
Facilitate and encourage self-monitoring for ILI for individuals linked to
possible exposure sites but with unknown exposure to the case(s).
Provide the necessary instructions and resources to permit those who
are self-monitoring to report of any early signs of ILI immediately (24
hours/day, 7 days/week) and to receive instructions regarding isolation
and medical management.
Quarantine close contacts and individuals linked to the exposure sites or
at a minimum and ask these individuals to restrict their contact with
others for a period of 3 days after last exposure to the case or for the
duration of the incubation period associated with the novel virus,
whichever is longer.
If not quarantined, recommend that contacts and individuals linked to
exposure sites refrain from travelling for the duration of monitoring
period.
21 It is recognized that individual case management by public health authorities will not be sustainable and,
depending on the geographical distribution of cases, may need to be discontinued before the Pandemic Period in
jurisdictions that are heavily impacted during the Pandemic Alert Period.
22 For example, this may include triage and provision of surgical masks to patients with respiratory illness
presenting for a medical assessment (when pandemic influenza cases have already occurred int he specific
community).
Annex M 17