CDC flu pandemic plans hint at the playbook for a new coronavirus outbreak

Filed under:The virus is probably going to spread in the US — it’s just a matter of whenThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is preparing for the possibility that the new coronavirus will spread through the United States — and it’s using its guidelines for pandemic influenza as a starting point. During an active, severe outbreak, that intensifies: in those cases, people who live in the same house as a sick person, who are at a higher risk of contracting the illness, should also stay home from work or school to avoid spreading it to others. People might be reluctant or unable to take time off work if it means lost income, and parents might struggle to find child care if schools close.Finally, CDC guidelines for environmental precautions say that surfaces should be cleaned regularly in homes, schools, offices, and other public spaces.These guidelines are just recommendations, and every state and local health department makes decisions on what actions to take (and when to take them) on their own, based on the impact an outbreak is having on each community.