Home Healthcare Workers of America

Coronavirus Info for Healthcare Workers

 

 COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information for Healthcare Workers

Please visit https://www.iujat.org/coronavirus-info for additional information regarding coronavirus, including When and Where to Seek Care.

Healthcare personnel (HCP) are on the front lines of caring for patients with confirmed or possible infection with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and therefore have an increased risk of exposure to this virus. HCPs can minimize their risk of exposure when caring for confirmed or possible COVID-19 patients by following CDC infection prevention and control guidelines, including use of recommended personal protective equipment (PPE).

How COVID-19 Spreads

There is much to learn about the newly emerged COVID-19, including how and how easily it spreads. Based on what is currently known about COVID-19 and what is known about other coronaviruses, spread is thought to occur mostly from person-to-person via respiratory droplets among close contacts.

Close contact can occur while caring for a patient, including:

  • being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of a patient with COVID-19 for a prolonged period of time.

  • having direct contact with infectious secretions from a patient with COVID-19. Infectious secretions may include sputum, serum, blood, and respiratory droplets.

If close contact occurs while not wearing all recommended PPE, healthcare personnel may be at risk of infection.

How You Can Protect Yourself

Healthcare personnel caring for patients with confirmed or possible COVID-19 should adhere to CDC recommendations for infection prevention and control (IPC):

  • Assess and triage these patients with acute respiratory symptoms and risk factors for COVID-19 to minimize chances of exposure, including placing a facemask on the patient and isolating them in an Airborne Infection Isolation Room (AIIR), if available

  • Perform hand hygiene with alcohol-based hand rub before and after all patient contact, contact with potentially infectious material, and before putting on and upon removal of PPE, including gloves. Use soap and water if hands are visibly soiled

  • Perform aerosol-generating procedures, including collection of diagnostic respiratory specimens, in an AIIR, while following appropriate IPC practices, including use of appropriate PPE

Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection

Routine cleaning and disinfection procedures are appropriate for SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare settings, including those patient-care areas in which aerosol-generating procedures are performed. Products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims are recommended for use against SARS-CoV-2. Management of laundry, food service utensils, and medical waste should also be performed in accordance with routine procedures.

When to Contact Occupational Health Services 

If you have an unprotected exposure (i.e., not wearing recommended PPE) to a confirmed or possible COVID-19 patient, contact your supervisor or occupational health immediately.

If you develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (fever, cough, or difficulty breathing), do not report to work. Contact your occupational health services.

For more information for healthcare personnel, visit:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/index.html

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/caring-for-patients.html

 

Additional Resources:

This content is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is intended for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.