Pandemic Influenza Plan - Questar III

Section 3: Healthcare Planning and Emergency Response
• PPE supplies
• Cleaning/disinfection supplies
• Environmental services (linen, laundry, waste)
• Safety and security.
The success of even the best planned non-traditional triage and/or treatment site will
hinge on the effective use of public service announcements that clearly explain the
rationale for and the advantages of using the site to the community.
V. General Considerations
A. Infection Control
Adherence to basic infection control principles is paramount to containing the spread of
influenza within facilities to healthcare workers and other patients. It may be assumed
that there will be a limited supply, if any, of vaccine and antivirals. Therefore, infection
control becomes even more important. These infection control principles include the
early identification of potentially infectious patients and the immediate implementation of
control measures for containment. Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette should be utilized
at all times, in all health care settings and points of entry into the healthcare system.
Section 4, Infection Control, is provided to assist healthcare facilities in planning for
pandemic influenza and enhancement of infection control precautions according to the
current global and local epidemiology of influenza. Infection control guidelines,
including standard and droplet precautions, respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette, and hand
hygiene are provided for all types of health care facilities and providers. The guidelines
are specified for patients, employees, and visitors. Specific strategies for hospital triage
and admission that minimize the risk of transmission are described.
Patients with known or suspected pandemic influenza should be placed on Standard and
Droplet Precautions (use of surgical mask for the patient, spatial separation of 3 feet,
private room or cohort) for the duration of their illness. Patient transport and movement
should be limited to essential purposes only. If transport or movement is necessary,
patients should be masked. Contact Precautions should be added if the patient has
diarrhea. During aerosol-generating procedures, gloves, gowns, face/eye protection and
an N95 (fit-tested) or other appropriate respirator should be worn by health care workers.
The patient should also be placed in an Airborne Infection Isolation Room (AIIR).
Additional work practice controls are summarized in Section 4: Infection Control.
Nosocomial outbreaks of influenza most often occur in residential facilities and are less
commonly reported in acute care facilities. The risk of a nosocomial outbreak of
influenza would increase if an influenza pandemic affected a local community for the
following reasons:
February 7, 2006 3-20