Preventing Aerosol-Transmissible
Diseases in Healthcare Settings:
The Need for Protective
Guidelines and Standards
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COVID-19 was not recognized as an aerosol transmissible disease by Centers for Disease Control (CDC) until May of 2021. This resulted in exceptionally high rates of infection and many deaths among healthcare workers and patients.
The "Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings", produced in 2007, is currently being updated by the CDC's Healthcare Infection Control and Prevention Advisory Committee (HICPAC).
These updated guidelines will form the basis for state and local health departments’ recommendations to prevent future infectious disease exposures and outbreaks in healthcare settings.
The revision process has lacked transparency and input from outside the Committee, and the preliminary draft recommendations have been described as weak and ineffective.
Attend the Next CDC HICPAC Meeting Online
November 2 - 3, 2023
The weblink link to view the meeting will be
posted prior to the meeting on the CDC HICPAC
website at: https://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/meeting.html
More information on the November 2 - 3, 2023
meeting will be posted by CDC on the HICPAC
website prior to the meeting, including the
agenda and weblink for watching the meeting.
HICPAC meeting website:
Make an Oral Comment at the HICPAC Meeting
You can sign up on the CDC HICPAC website to
make a short oral public comment at the
meeting. The deadline for signing up is
October 23, 2023, 11:59 pm ET.
Time is limited, and CDC decides how many
people will speak.
You can also submit a written comment to the
meeting. The period for submitting written
comments to the meeting record is
November 1 – 6, 2023.
Submit your written public comment to
Speaker
Lisa Brosseau, University of Minnesota
Mitchel Rosen, Rutgers University
Justin Chan, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
Jane Thomason, National Nurses United
Invited Stakeholders
Donald Milton, University of Maryland
School of Public Health
Moderator:
Kate McPhaul, University of Maryland
School of Public Health
Participants:
Justin Chan, NYC Health and Hospitals/Bellevue
Jane Thomason, National Nurses United
Nancy Hagans, National Nurses United
Amber Mitchell, International Safety Center
Invited Stakeholders
Raymond Tellier, McGill University
William Bahnfleth, The Pennsylvania State University
Lisa M Brosseau, University of Minnesota
Moderator:
David Michaels, George Washington University
Participants:
Raymond Tellier, University of McGill
William Bahnfleth, The Pennsylvania State University Lisa M Brosseau, University of Minnesota
Barbara Materna – California Department of
Public Health (retired)
Invited Stakeholders
Lisa Brosseau, University of Minnesota
Mitchel Rosen, Rutgers University
Jane Thomason, National Nurses United
Welcome
Workshop Overview and Goals
Overview of Current CDC Guidelines for Isolation Precautions
CDC/HICPAC Update & Draft Recommendations
Voices From the Front Lines
Aerosol Transmission in Healthcare – Update on the Science & Epidemiology
Q&A – Incorporating Current Science into New CDC Guidelines
Stakeholder Testimony and Views
Aerosol Transmission: Examples of Influenza and COVID-19
Ventilation Control for Aerosol Transmissible Pathogens in Healthcare
Personal Protective Equipment for Aerosol Transmissible Pathogens in Healthcare
Q&A – Impact of New Guidelines on Healthcare
Stakeholder Testimony and Views
Workshop Summary
Summary of Workshop Participant
Recommendations
Information on next HICPAC meeting
co-sponsors
