Announcements: Reinstatement of Notification Requirements for Emergency Response Employees Potentially Exposed to Life-Threatening Infectious Diseases

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In October 2009, Congress reauthorized the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009 and included Part G, which reinstated notification requirements for emergency response employees potentially exposed to life-threatening infectious diseases.* On July 7, 2010, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services delegated to CDC responsibility for compiling a list of such diseases, including emerging infectious diseases, and specifying those diseases usually transmitted through airborne or aerosolized means. The Secretary further delegated the updating of guidelines for determining circumstances under which emergency response employees might be exposed to such diseases while attending to or transporting victims of emergencies and guidelines for medical facilities making determinations whether such exposures have occurred.
CDC staff members developed the required list and guidelines, incorporating input received via a public comment process† during December 2010--February 2011. On November 2, 2011, CDC published a final notice in the Federal Register, detailing responses to the public comments and setting forth the final list of diseases and the final guidelines, which will become effective 30 days after publication.§

* Additional information available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-31149.htm.

† Additional information available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/C1-2010-31110.pdf .

§ Available at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-11-02/pdf/2011-28234.pdf .

Announcements: Reinstatement of Notification Requirements for Emergency Response Employees Potentially Exposed to Life-Threatening Infectious DiseasesNovember 4, 2011 / 60(43);1494