In March 2019, Hong Kong hosted the WHO Consultation Symposium on Non-pharmaceutical Public Health Measures for Mitigating the Risk and Impact of Epidemic and Pandemic Influenza. [non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI’s)]
Six months later, on September 19, 2019 the WHO published the findings in a report, concluding, amongst other things, that contact tracing is “not recommended in any circumstances” no matter the severity of Influenza pandemic or epidemic. The “quality of evidence” and epidemiological design is poor to draw conclusions. [1, 2]
Based on the systematic literature review they determined that “unless the severity is high, face masks are for only symptomatic individuals because face masks have a “lack of effectiveness in reducing influenza transmission”, a respiratory disease. [3]
Quarantine of those “who may or may not be infected but are not ill” has “very low overall quality of evidence” for supporting stopping transmission, at best it delays the inevitable spread. [pg 45]