CDC Issues Updated H1N1 Guidance for Health Care Workers - October 19, 2009

CDC has released its revised H1N1 guidance for health care workers. Of particular note, the guidance continues to recommend use of N95 respirators for personnel who are in close contact with patients with suspected or confirmed H1N1 influenza. To address industry concerns about the supply of N95 respirators, the CDC guidance permits facilities experiencing a shortage of respirators to limit their use to those personnel who are most at risk for exposure, such as those attending aerosol-generating procedures on patients with suspected or confirmed H1N1 influenza, and to instead provide surgical masks or other protective devices identified in the guidance to lower-risk professionals. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has announced that it plans to issue a directive outlining policies similar to those included in CDC’s guidance. OSHA has indicated that it will not consider a facility experiencing an N95 respirator shortage out of compliance with CDC’s recommendations as long as that facility makes a “good faith effort” to acquire additional respirators.