The CDC announced tightened infection control guidance for healthcare workers caring for patients with Ebola on Oct. 20. The guidance focuses on specific personal protective equipment (PPE) health care workers should use and offers detailed step by step instructions for how to put the equipment on and take it off safely. Recent experience from safely treating patients with Ebola at Emory University Hospital, Nebraska Medical Center and National Institutes of Health Clinical Center are reflected in the guidance.
The updated guidance reflects three areas: 1) Rigorous and repeated training to ensure healthcare workers are practiced and competent with PPE; 2) No skin exposure when PPE is worn; and 3) Have a trained monitor actively observe and supervise each worker taking PPE on and off.
