COVID-19 Update: CDC Issues Interim Prevention and Control Measures

With the COVID-19 situation changing by the minute—literally, at times—urgent care providers may feel swamped with competing demands for testing, treatment, and reassuring patients who really don’t have any related worries. Add to that the fact that there’s been little definitive direction from federal health agencies on how to treat patients who do have COVID-19. Now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a directive that could be helpful—both for patient care and the safety of your team. The Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings advises paying close attention to what’s happening in your region and community to gauge what level of containment measures would be prudent. Some of the recommendations are more applicable to inpatient settings, but will be helpful for context with urgent care providers and operators. One piece of the advisory that is of key importance to all healthcare settings is to increase emphasis on early identification and implementation of source control (such as putting a face mask on patients who present with symptoms of respiratory infection).