The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has regularly updated information to support healthcare professionals and help providers remain safe at work. Below are some highlights.
Safe work practices
- Wear gloves, gowns, eye/face protection, and disposable N95 filter facepiece respirators to reduce the risk of infection. Always donn and doff PPE safely.
- Perform as many tasks as possible in areas away from a patient with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, limit opportunities for touch contamination, and ensure there are systems in place to clean, disinfect, and maintain reusable equipment and PPE.
- Use cleaners and water to pre-clean surfaces before applying an
- EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectant to frequently touched surfaces or objects, including those patient-care areas in which aerosol-generating procedures are performed.
Caring for patients
- Understand how to identify the signs and symptoms presented by patients with COVID-19 and likely illness progression. The CDC shares answers to clinical questions on how best to care for patients with COVID-19, including updated information about the transmission and incubation period for the virus, as well as testing and diagnosis.
- Recommended infection prevention and control practices, including the use of recommended personal protective equipment (PPE), if a patient is suspected of having COVID-19.
- Learn how to care for someone who is sick in their home safely, including providing for basic medical needs and watching for warning signs, and how to protect yourself as a caregiver.
- Understand how employers should prepare with appropriate protocols for screening and caring for patients with COVID-19.
