The short serial interval of influenza makes contact tracing inefficient, and it is highly resource intensive. Identifying close contacts would also quickly overwhelm the public health resources available to manage them. Contact tracing could be considered where there is sufficient digital (or other) contact tracing capacity. However, this would need to be implemented alongside sufficient data protection and human rights safeguards.

• To the extent possible, when implementing contact tracing, governments should seek prior and informed consent from the infected individual. Where informed consent is not possible or advisable, then at a minimum people should be informed about what data will be used, how and by whom.
• In the case of low incidence, contact tracing may be considered as part of a suppression strategy in countries with sufficient contact tracing capacity, testing capacity and quarantine facilities.