The CDC has issued infection protection and control recommendations for healthcare facilities to ensure all personnel are correctly trained and capable of implementing infection control procedures.
This guidance is based on the currently limited information available about 2019-nCoV related to disease severity, transmission efficiency and shedding duration. This cautious approach is applicable to all U.S. healthcare settings and will be refined and updated as more information becomes available and as response needs change in the United States.
This guidance is not intended for non-healthcare settings (e.g., schools) or to persons outside of healthcare settings. For recommendations regarding clinical management, air or ground medical transport, or laboratory settings, refer to the main CDC 2019-nCoV website.
For the purposes of this guidance, HCP refers to all healthcare personnel – persons, paid and unpaid, working in healthcare settings engaged in patient care activities, including: patient assessment for triage, entering exam rooms or patient rooms to provide care or clean and disinfect the environment, obtaining clinical specimens, handling soiled medical supplies or equipment and coming in contact with potentially contaminated environmental surfaces.
The recommendations urged by the CDC include:
1. Minimize chances for exposure
2. Adhere to standard, contact and airborne precautions, including the use of eye protection
3. Manage visitor access and movement within the facility
4. Implement engineering controls
5. Monitor and manage ill and exposed healthcare personnel
6. Train and educate healthcare personnel
7. Implement environmental infection control
8. Establish reporting within healthcare facilities and to public health authorities
