Recommendations to Prevent Occupationally-acquired
Monkeypox Infection in Healthcare Personnel
|
|
Currently, there are more
than 61,000 reported cases of monkeypox infection worldwide. Reports of
occupationally-acquired monkeypox infection in healthcare personnel
(HCP) remain rare in this outbreak, with most reports involving HCP
sustaining a sharps injury during specimen collection or not using recommended personal protective equipment
(PPE).
Infection
Prevention and Control
- Establish a process to screen patients for signs and symptoms of monkeypox at
or before arrival so that they can be identified promptly in
healthcare facilities (e.g., urgent care clinics, emergency
departments, clinics providing evaluation for sexually transmitted
infections) that are most likely to provide initial evaluation of
patients with monkeypox.
- Dedicate adequate resources to support
infection prevention practices, including access to all recommended PPE, particularly in
outpatient settings, where monkeypox patients are frequently
initially evaluated.
- Review infection prevention and control
practices including carefully putting on and taking off PPE to
ensure HCP are properly trained and provided the opportunity to
ask questions and practice their technique.
Cleaning and Disinfection
- Review cleaning and disinfection practices
to ensure they are being completed effectively. Cleaning and
disinfecting rooms and equipment between patients is important to
prevent transmission to others.
- Use methods to safely collect monkeypox specimens.
Unroofing or aspiration of lesions during specimen collection or
using sharp instruments for monkeypox lesion testing is not
necessary or recommended due to the risk for sharps injury.
Healthcare Provider
Exposures
- Know the signs and symptoms of monkeypox.
- Do not report to work if any signs or symptoms
develop, even in the absence of recognized exposure.
- Leave work if signs or symptoms develop while
at work, and notify supervisor or other appropriate group (e.g., occupational
health services) for further evaluation.
- Healthcare facilities should provide flexible,
non-punitive sick leave policies to allow HCP to take leave when
indicated.
|
|
|
The Emergency Risk Communication
Branch in the Division of Emergency Operations, Center for Preparedness
and Response is responsible for the management of all COCA
Products.
For information about this update
or other clinical issues, or to send your feedback, please contact us at coca@cdc.gov
COCA RSS Feed—subscribe to be
notified of conference calls, updates, and CDC guidance for health
providers
Health Alert
Network—CDC's
primary method of sharing cleared information about urgent public health
incidents with public information officers; federal, state, territorial,
and local public health practitioners; clinicians; and public health
laboratories
|
|
|
CDC
and HHS logos are the exclusive property of the Department of Health and
Human Services and may not be used for any purpose without prior express
written permission. Use of trade names and commercial sources is for
identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services.
|
|
Links to non-federal
organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not
constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the federal
government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the
content of the individual organizations.
|
|
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd
Atlanta, GA 30329 1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636)
TTY: 888-232-6348
Questions or
Problems | Unsubscribe
|
|
|
|
|