This website was updated to reflect the updates in the Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings. The changes include:
- Updated PPE recommendations
- Based on local and regional situational analysis of PPE supplies, facemasks are an acceptable alternative when the supply chain of respirators cannot meet the demand. During this time, available respirators should be prioritized for procedures that are likely to generate respiratory aerosols, which would pose the highest exposure risk to HCP.
- When the supply chain is restored, organizations with a respiratory protection program should return to use of respirators for patients with known or suspected COVID-19. Organizations that do not currently have a respiratory protection program, but interact with patients infected with pathogens for which a respirator is recommended, should implement a respiratory protection program.
- Updated language on collection of diagnostic respiratory specimens related to aerosol- vs. non-aerosol generating activities.
- Updated recommendations to include placing a facemask on symptomatic patients as source control.
Related Pages: CDC provides guidance on what specimens to collect when testing for COVID-19. The latest guidance is available online at Evaluating and Testing Persons for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
CDC guidance for COVID-19 may be adapted by state and local health departments to respond to rapidly changing local circumstances.
Who this is for: Healthcare providers and public health officials managing persons with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) under isolation who are not in healthcare settings. This includes, but is not limited to, at home, in a hotel or dormitory room, or in group isolation facility.
For Hospitalized Patients, see (Interim Guidance for Discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions Among Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19).