VII. Infection Control for Public Health and Outreach Workers

Supplement I: Infection Control in Healthcare, Home, and Community Settings

Public Health Guidance for Community-Level Preparedness and Response to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Version 2/3

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Objective:

Ensure the safety of public health and outreach workers who meet with SARS patients or their contacts in the home or a community isolation facility.

Activities

• Public health workers and other personnel who work in the field and may be visiting patients in home or community isolation facilities should wear PPE that is commensurate with the degree of patient contact. These personnel should be trained and fit-tested in N-95 respirator use. Personnel who enter the home or room of a SARS patient should wear an N-95 respirator.
• If there will be direct contact with the patient or the patient's environment, a disposable isolation gown and gloves should be worn.
• PPE should be removed outside the home or facility and bagged for disposal; hand hygiene should be performed.