CDC Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Known or Suspected Ebola Patients in U.S. Hospitals

10/06/14 By Dana Szymkowiak

HAND HYGIENE
• HCP (Healthcare Personnel) should perform hand hygiene frequently, including before and after all patient contact, contact with potentially infectious material, and before putting on and upon removal of PPE, including gloves.

• Healthcare facilities should ensure that supplies for performing hand hygiene are available.

Hand hygiene in healthcare settings can be performed by washing with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rubs. If hands are visibly soiled, use soap and water, not alcohol-based hand rubs.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)
• All persons entering the patient room should wear at least: gloves, gown (fluid resistant or impermeable), eye protection (goggles or face shield) and facemask.

Additional PPE might be required in certain situations (e.g., copious amounts of blood, other body fluids, vomit, or feces present in the environment), including but not limited to: double gloving, disposable shoe covers and leg coverings.

• Upon exit from the patient room or care area, PPE should be carefully removed without contaminating one’s eyes, mucous membranes, or clothing with potentially infectious materials, and either discarded or for re-useable PPE, cleaned and disinfected according to the manufacturer’s reprocessing instructions and hospital policies.

Hand hygiene should be performed immediately after removal of PPE.

ENVIRONMENTAL INFECTION CONTROL
• Be sure environmental services staff wear recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) including, at a minimum, disposable gloves, gown (fluid resistant/ impermeable), eye protection (goggles or face shield), and facemask to protect against direct skin and mucous membrane exposure of cleaning chemicals, contamination, and splashes or spatters during environmental cleaning and disinfection activities.

• Use a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered hospital disinfectant with a label claim for a non-enveloped virus.