Which infection prevention measure is essential in disaster shelters?

• A. Hand hygiene
• B. Cleaning and disinfection
• C. Patient triage
• D. Isolation of symptomatic individuals

Answer: (D)

In crowded disaster shelters, stopping transmission hinges on separating people who are infectious from those who are well. Isolating symptomatic individuals creates a barrier that prevents easy spread of illness to others, especially when symptoms suggest contagious phases like fever or cough. This source-control approach directly reduces the number of contact events that can transmit infection, making it the most impactful single action you can take in a shelter setting.

Hand hygiene and cleaning/disinfection are still important foundations for minimizing transmission, but they work best when there isn’t a contagious person sharing space with many others. Triage helps allocate care but does not by itself prevent spread, and the key preventive effect in this context comes from isolating those who are symptomatic.