When providing care to a patient with influenza, which precaution is essential for close contact?

• A. Standard precautions only.
• B. Droplet precautions with a mask in close contact.
• C. Airborne precautions with N95 respirator.
• D. No precautions needed.

Answer: (B)

Influenza spreads mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, especially during close contact. Because of this, the essential precaution is to use droplet precautions, which means wearing a mask during close interaction with the patient to block droplets from reaching the caregiver’s nose and mouth. Standard precautions are always used, but on their own they don’t prevent droplet transmission, and airborne precautions with an N95 are reserved for diseases that spread via smaller airborne particles or during aerosol-generating procedures. So, protecting staff and others in close contact with an influenza patient relies on adherence to droplet precautions with a mask.