Optimizing severe acute respiratory syndrome response strategies: lessons learned from quarantine.
Taiwan used quarantine as 1 of numerous interventions implemented to control the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003. From March 18 to July 31, 2003, 147,526 persons were placed under quarantine. Quarantining only persons with known exposure to people infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome could have reduced the number of persons quarantined by approximately 64%. Focusing quarantine efforts on persons with known or suspected exposure can greatly decrease the number of persons placed under quarantine, without substantially compromising its yield and effectiveness.
Wang
Tsung-Hsi
TH
Taiwan Centers for Disease Control, Department of Health, Taipei, Taiwan.
Wei
Kuo-Chen
KC
Hsiung
Chao Agnes
CA
Maloney
Susan A
SA
Eidex
Rachel Barwick
RB
Posey
Drew L
DL
Chou
Wei-Hui
WH
Shih
Wen-Yi
WY
Kuo
Hsu-Sung
HS
D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D011790:Quarantine / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology