Scientific workplace 6 review update#

Scientific workplace 6 review update#

The 2017 Update of the Pandemic Influenza Plan published by the US Department of Health and Human Services includes community mitigation measures, known also as nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), that can be used before a pandemic vaccine is widely available. A vaccine against a new pandemic virus might not be widely available for up to 6Р’В months given current vaccine production technology. The economic impact of the next influenza pandemic in the United States, in the absence of vaccination and other mitigation measures, has been estimated to be $71 to $166 billion. Over the past 100Р’В years, the clinical severity of influenza pandemics has ranged from moderate for the 2009 pandemic to very high for the 1918 pandemic. Influenza pandemics occur when new influenza A viruses emerge that spread from person to person in an efficient and sustained way. Modeling studies support social distancing in non-healthcare workplaces, but there is a paucity of well-designed epidemiological studies. However, the effectiveness was estimated to decline with higher basic reproduction number values, delayed triggering of workplace social distancing, or lower compliance. The reduction in the cumulative attack rate was more pronounced when workplace social distancing was combined with other nonpharmaceutical or pharmaceutical interventions. It also delayed and reduced the peak influenza attack rate. The modeling studies estimated that workplace social distancing measures alone produced a median reduction of 23% in the cumulative influenza attack rate in the general population. However, the overall risk of bias in the epidemiological studies was serious. The epidemiological studies showed that social distancing was associated with a reduction in influenza-like illness and seroconversion to 2009 influenza A (H1N1). ResultsР”Р‡ifteen studies, representing 12 modeling and three epidemiological, met the eligibility criteria. Data extraction was done by two reviewers independently. MethodsР”В®lectronic searches were conducted using MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, CINAHL, NIOSHTIC-2, and EconLit to identify studies published in English from January 1, 2000, through May 3, 2017. We conducted a systematic review to assess the evidence that social distancing in non-healthcare workplaces reduces or slows influenza transmission. Social distancing can reduce virus transmission by increasing physical distance or reducing frequency of congregation in socially dense community settings, such as schools or workplaces. Social distancing is one of the community mitigation measures that may be recommended during influenza pandemics.