Weekly Summary: COVID-19 Healthcare Quality and Worker Safety Information

COVID-19 Healthcare Quality and  Worker Safety Information

Below is this week’s update of COVID-19 information  that is relevant to healthcare quality and worker safety.

Updated Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings – This guidance has been updated to include the recommendation that all U.S. healthcare facilities put policies into place requiring everyone entering the facility to practice source control, regardless of symptoms.

Key points of information:

• Healthcare personnel (HCP) should wear a facemask at all times while they are in a healthcare facility. 
• Cloth face coverings are not considered personal protective equipment (PPE) because their ability to protect HCP is unknown. Facemasks, if available, should be reserved for HCP. 
• For visitors and patients, a cloth face covering may be appropriate. If a visitor or patient arrives to the healthcare facility without a cloth face covering, a facemask may be used for source control if supplies are available. 
• This recommendation does not change CDC’s guidance for healthcare personnel to use N95 or equivalent respirators when providing care for patients with suspected or known COVID-19.