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CDC Issues Draft Guideline for Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has announced the opening of a docket to obtain comment on the Draft Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel: Epidemiology and Control of Selected Infections Transmitted Among Healthcare Personnel and Patients: Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella-Zoster Virus Sections. This draft guideline updates the existing guidelines for infection control in healthcare personnel, focusing on postexposure management, including postexposure prophylaxis, for exposed healthcare personnel and work restrictions for exposed or infected healthcare personnel.

Key Takeaways:

  • The CDC has issued a draft guideline for infection control in healthcare personnel, updating the existing guidelines to address measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella-zoster virus infections.
  • The draft guideline focuses on postexposure management, including postexposure prophylaxis, for exposed healthcare personnel and work restrictions for exposed or infected healthcare personnel.
  • The updated draft recommendations are informed by reviews of the 1998 Guideline, CDC resources, and new scientific evidence.
  • CDC is seeking comments on the Draft Guideline: Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella-Zoster Virus Sections, and is requesting references to new evidence and justification to support suggested revisions or additions.
  • The draft guideline is not a Federal rule or regulation, but rather an advisory document for use by occupational health services in healthcare facilities and systems.
  • The Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) has developed the Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel guideline, which includes the draft guidelines for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella-zoster virus infections.
  • HICPAC is a Federal advisory committee appointed to provide advice and guidance to HHS and CDC on infection control practices and strategies.

Specific Names, Programs, and Initiatives:

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
  • Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC)
  • Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel guideline

Contextual Details and Implications:

  • The draft guideline is intended to provide guidance to occupational health services in healthcare facilities and systems on managing exposed or infected healthcare personnel who may be contagious to others in the workplace.
  • The updated draft recommendations may result in changes to infection control practices in healthcare settings, including postexposure management and work restrictions for exposed or infected healthcare personnel.
  • The draft guideline is part of a larger update to the Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel guideline, which includes guidelines for diphtheria, group A streptococcus, meningococcal disease, pertussis, and rabies infections.

Statistics:

  • The draft guideline updates the existing guidelines for infection control in healthcare personnel, focusing on postexposure management, including postexposure prophylaxis, for exposed healthcare personnel and work restrictions for exposed or infected healthcare personnel.
  • Since 2015, HICPAC has worked with national partners, academicians, public health professionals, healthcare providers, and other partners to develop the Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel guideline.
  • The draft guideline is not a Federal rule or regulation, but rather an advisory document for use by occupational health services in healthcare facilities and systems.

Sources:

  • [1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Draft Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel: Epidemiology and Control of Selected Infections Transmitted Among Healthcare Personnel and Patients: Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella-Zoster Virus Sections. (2023).
  • [2] Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel. (2023).
  • [3] Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC). Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel. (2023).
  • [4] Executive Summary of the Guideline for Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel. (2023).
  • [5] CDC. Infection Control Guideline website: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/healthcare-personnel/index.html.

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