COVID-19 Updates from CDC
We CDC has updated the current national COVID-19 infection control guidance for healthcare to include the recommendation all U.S. healthcare facilities put policies into place requiring everyone entering the facility to practice source control, regardless of symptoms.
This recommendation is intended to protect healthcare personnel by reducing their risk of exposure. As we continue to learn how COVID-19 spreads, particularly from asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic people.
Key Points of the changes :
• Facemasks should be used by healthcare personnel while they are in a healthcare facility.
Facemasks offer the wearer source of control and protection against exposure of splashes and sprays of infectious material from others.
• We should not consider Cloth’s face as PPE. We should NOT wear Cloth’s face instead of a respirator or facemask.
• Healthcare personnel should consider continuing to wear their respirator or facemask (extended use) while in the healthcare facility instead of intermittently switching back to their cloth face covering, which could cause self-contamination.
Healthcare personnel should remove their respirator or facemask at the end of their shift. Use of cloth face when leaving the facility.
• Visitors and patients should be wearing their cloth face-covering upon arrival to the facility per CDC recommendations to the general public.
CDC’s recommends healthcare personnel to use N-95 or equivalent respirators when providing care for patients with suspected or known COVID-19.
Facilities should prioritize the activities and procedures in case of insufficient supplies of N-95 respirators.
We should not use facemasks for care that involves those aerosols activities or procedures.
Ensure the use of N-95s and equivalent respirators for all workers caring for patients once stock is available.
2- Facilities should consider utilizing CDC’s PPE optimization guidance and PPE Burn Rate Calculator to preserve PPE supplies and keep workers safe.
3- Actively screen everyone for fever and symptoms of COVID-19 before they enter the healthcare facility.