Editor's note: The updated guidance was posted to the Federal Register on June 22, 2010. To access this document, CLICK HERE.
Several federal entities are in the process of revising current guidance to reflect current thought on strategies for the prevention of pandemic influenza and other respiratory infections.
The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) is updating its document, “Interim Guidance on Infection Control Measures for 2009 H1N1 Influenza in Healthcare Settings, Including Protection of Healthcare Personnel,” with new information that has become available.
The CDC acknowledges that when the interim infection control guidance for 2009 H1N1 was posted, “substantial uncertainties existed regarding the severity of disease and health impact of the novel H1N1 influenza strain, a high proportion of the population was susceptible to the new virus, and the vaccine was not available.” Circumstances have changed significantly since then, the CDC says, noting, “First, a safe and effective vaccine has become widely available. Second, we now have information about the number of cases of disease, hospitalizations, and deaths caused by 2009 H1N1, which can be compared to historical seasonal influenza data. The current circumstances justify an update of the recommendations.”
In updating this particular guidance document, the CDC says it will consolidate recommendations into a comprehensive, easily accessible document. Currently, experts at the CDC and other federal agencies are reviewing and editing the guidance, after which time input from the public will be sought. After the guidance is reviewed by experts within the federal government, it will be published in the Federal Register. In that way, all who are interested may review and submit comments on the content, and CDC will consider those comments before finalizing and publishing the guidance. The CDC will announce when the document is published in the Federal Register.
In addition, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) is examining current research directions and certification and testing issues regarding the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during an influenza pandemic. The study is focused on research and other relevant efforts conducted since the release of the IOM report, “Preparing for an Influenza Pandemic: Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Workers” in September 2007. In that 2007 report, the IOM examined PPE -- the respirators, gowns, gloves, face shields, eye protection, and other equipment used by healthcare workers and others in their day-to-day patient care responsibilities -- as a vital component of pandemic influenza planning.
The report is a result of the challenge set before the IOM by the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which in 2006 asked the IOM to conduct a study on the PPE needed by healthcare workers in the event of an influenza pandemic. The IOM committee determined that there is an urgent need to address the lack of preparedness regarding effective PPE for use in an influenza pandemic. Three critical areas were identified that require expeditious research and policy action: understand influenza transmission; commit to worker safety and appropriate use of PPE; and innovate and strengthen PPE design, testing and certification.
