Urge the CDC to protect Frontline Health Care Workers and Patients!

 

Nurses, patients, and our allies have been organizing for months to urge the CDC’s Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) to fully recognize the science on aerosol/inhalation transmission. We have made significant progress in improving transparency and increasing diversity in perspectives in the process!  

However, many of our demands remain unanswered–specifically around whether or not HICPAC fully recognizes the science on aerosol/inhalation transmission. Nor is it yet clear that HICPAC is recommending the robust protections needed by health care workers and patients, including strong recommendations around ventilation, respiratory protection and other PPE, source control and isolation, and exposure surveillance and notification. 

At its recent August 22, 2024 public meeting, HICPAC heard that the IP Guideline Workgroup plans to present updated proposals and additional details at the November meeting. We need to organize now to make it clear to HICPAC what needs to happen in November.

In November 2023, HICPAC unanimously approved draft guidance updates that ignored science and weakened existing protections. In January 2024, the CDC returned the draft for more work and expanded expert perspectives represented on HICPAC and its IP Guideline Workgroup. HICPAC’s IP Guideline Workgroup is currently responding to the questions posed by the CDC, when it returned HICPAC’s problematic draft from November 2023. 

Join us in urging CDC’s Director, Mandy Cohen, to ensure that CDC and HICPAC recognize the important science on aerosol transmission and craft guidance that protects health care workers and patients from infectious diseases!

HICPACs Updated Guidance must 

1. Fully recognize the science on aerosol transmission, including implementing the new WHO terminology and science on air/inhalation transmission (including ventilation, respiratory protection, safe staffing, source control and isolation, etc.)
2.  Maintain and strengthen respiratory protection and other protections for health care workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed respiratory infections
3. Maintain an approach that is clear and explicit on the precautions that are needed in situations where infectious pathogens are or may be present in health care settings, and not adopt a crisis standards approach or allow flexibility for employers to prioritize profits over protections