What is the purpose of Step 7 in the outbreak investigation framework?

• A. Implement prevention measures
• B. Close the investigation and conduct an after-action review to document lessons learned
• C. Describe data with person, place, and time
• D. Develop hypotheses about sources

Answer: (B)

Step seven focuses on closing the investigation and capturing lessons learned through an after-action review. After actions are taken to control the outbreak and the situation is stabilized, the team wraps up by documenting what happened, assessing what worked well and what didn’t, and communicating recommendations to prevent a recurrence. This wrap-up creates an formal record, supports accountability, and guides future responses by teaching what to replicate or adjust. The other activities—describing data with person, place, and time, developing hypotheses about sources, and implementing prevention measures—take place earlier in the process during data collection, analysis, and intervention steps, not during the final close-out.