COVID-19: Hospital Preparedness and Planning

General Measures

Exercise general infection precautions
Person-to-person transmission occurs with close contact (6 feet)
Direct Transmission: contact with mucous membranes or respiratory droplets
Indirect Transmission: cough —> secretions left on surface —> 2nd person touches surface secretions and touches face & mucous membranes
Hygiene General Recommendations
- Avoid touching your face
- Frequent Handwashing
- Alcohol based hand sanitizer
- Diligent hand wasing
- 20 seconds minimum
- Image shows commonly forgotten areas: thumb (ulnar aspect), fingertips, WRIST (Borrowed from WHO Hand Hygiene for Healthcare)
- Wear a mask if you develop respiratory symptoms (fever, cough, rhinorrhea, congestion) to prevent spread
- Avoid unnecessary travel
- Stay home if symptomatic
- Home care does not mean being out in the parks with other groups of people
- Contact your supervisor: due to expected HCW shortages, minor symptoms may be allowed to continue working with adequate PPE to prevent infection spread

Contact and droplet precautions including eye protection

Droplet = surgical mask, eye protection
Contact = gown and gloves
- If gowns in short supply, consider reserving for PUIs and/or aerosol-generating procedures
Negative pressure room preferred may be prefered for PUIs, but not required

See video below indicates the proper order for donning and doffing PPE for clinical evaluation of a patient