Bibliographic information
GuidelineWHO guideline on public health and social measures for mitigating the risk and impact of epidemic and pandemic influenza
Year of Publication2026
Issuing InstitutionWorld Health Organization
Recommendation
New
WHO recommends against syndromic entry and exit screening at points of entry to reduce the transmission of influenza viruses in the community during influenza epidemics and pandemics.
Recommended against
Strong
Certainty of evidence
Very low
Notes and Remarks
- In this guideline, entry and exit screening at points of entry specifically refers to syndromic screening for influenza using one or more methods, such as temperature check, observation and health declaration forms. Although test-based screening methods were also reviewed and discussed by the GDG, the above recommendation only relates to syndromic screening.
- Fever and other symptom screening is not sufficiently sensitive (meaning that infected people will enter the community), and also has poor specificity (meaning that symptomatic individuals not infected with influenza may overwhelm the health system).
- Some locations routinely monitor the temperature of incoming travellers in an effort to identify those with symptoms of Ebola disease, Middle East respiratory syndrome or other emerging infectious disease. The above recommendation only applies to influenza epidemics and pandemics.
- Whenever entry and exit screening is implemented, policy-makers should consider allocating additional resources for the follow-up of detected cases or their referral to health-care services or quarantine arrangements as needed.
- To improve screening outcomes, some countries may consider using rapid tests before exit or at arrival – however, high test sensitivity and specificity would be an important requirement. Moreover, rapid tests may not pick up individuals during the incubation period.