What is a Risk Assessment?
CDC's Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics (CFA) applies qualitative risk assessment methods to rapidly assess the public health implications of an outbreak. These methods can be used early in an outbreak when quantitative data are limited. For each assessment, we consider evidence underpinning risk, key uncertainties, and factors that could change the assessment.
Assessments typically focus on either populations at risk or transmission scenarios of concern. For each population or scenario examined, we estimate overall risk by combining the likelihood of infection and the impact of the disease. We also assign confidence levels to each of our assessments, based on the quality and amount of evidence that underpins the assessment. See our methods for more details.
CFA's qualitative risk assessments inform CDC leadership, public health professionals, and partners engaged in emergency response activities.