Hi all,

Here is the rest of the guidance MDH just came out with.

 

Brianna Lindell

Regulatory Affairs Manager

Minnesota Home Care Association

 

1265 Grey Fox Road, Suite 2 | Arden Hills, MN 55112-6929

Direct: 651.240.3380 | Main: 651.635.0607

www.mnhomecare.org | blindell@mnhomecare.org

 

From: MN_health.compendium <health.compendium@state.mn.us>
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2022 2:23 PM
Subject: Source Control and Testing Updates

 

 

On Friday, September 23, 2022, CDC updated the Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic

 

Infection Control: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) | CDC

 

Per this guidance:

 

When SARS-CoV-2 Community Transmission levels are high, source control is recommended for everyone in a healthcare setting.

 

When SARS-CoV-2 Community Transmission levels are not high, healthcare facilities could choose not to require universal source control.  However, even if source control is not universally required, it remains recommended for individuals in healthcare settings who:

 

MDH recommends that facilities be aware of the following:

 

  1. Healthcare facilities can choose to continue implementing broad use of universal source control at this time. In addition to protection from COVID-19, this may help reduce exposure to other respiratory viruses as we enter a time of year in which influenza and other respiratory viruses are circulating.
    1. Factors to consider include consistent practice/messaging, staffing concerns, counties of staff/patients’ residence when assessing circulation of SARS CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses, and high-risk population served (e.g., moderately, or severely immunocompromised, elderly, pregnant women, or others at high-risk, including those with increased social vulnerability, see #4 below). 

 

  1. Healthcare facilities should have a detailed plan in place when changes in Community Transmission will impact the use of source control. The plan should include a well-defined process for how to communicate updates to staff, visitors, patients, and residents when source control is necessary. 

CDC states, “In general, healthcare facilities should consider checking their local Community Transmission level weekly. When a healthcare facility’s Community Transmission level increases and the increase results in a change in the recommended interventions, the new interventions should be implemented as soon as possible. When a healthcare facility’s Community Transmission levels decrease into a category that corresponds with relaxation of an intervention, facilities should consider confirming the reduction is sustained, by monitoring for at least two weeks, before relaxing the intervention.”

 

  1. Healthcare facilities that choose to not require universal source control when SARS-COV-2 Community Transmission levels are not high should have a well-defined process for ensuring:
    1. Individuals with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection or other respiratory infection (e.g., runny nose, cough) wear source control
    2. Patients/residents and visitors who have had a close contact with someone with SARS-CoV-2 infection, wear source control for 10 days after their exposure
    3. Staff with a higher-risk exposure with someone with SARS-CoV-2 infection, wear source control for 10 days after their exposure
    4. Individuals who reside or work on a unit or area of the facility experiencing a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak will wear source control until no new cases have been identified for 14 days
    5. Plan for optimizing COVID-19 vaccination, including all primary series doses and boosters, as well as influenza vaccination of healthcare workers. Ensure that symptomatic healthcare workers are tested for SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and other respiratory illnesses and that a policy is in place to limit the spread of influenza and other respiratory viruses.

 

  1. Healthcare facilities should consider the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) score when making decisions about their COVID-19 infection control policy. Areas with higher social vulnerability (lower SVI quartile) have been shown to be at increased risk for COVID-19 outbreaks, in-hospital death, and major cardiovascular events, while experiencing decreased vaccination rates and uptake of antiviral treatments. You can read more about Minnesota’s use of SVI in our COVID-19 pandemic response as well as find a list of MN zip codes with their SVI score and quartile here: COVID-19 Vaccine Equity in Minnesota - Minnesota Dept. of Health (state.mn.us)

 

Refer to the CDC guidance for a full list of recommended interventions (e.g., testing) for individuals who have suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, close contact, or higher-risk exposure to someone with SARS-CoV-2, or steps to take during an outbreak.

 

Additional updates can be found here:

 

Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2

 

Strategies to Mitigate Healthcare Personnel Staffing Shortages

 

Testing is recommended for anyone with symptoms, regardless of vaccination status, but screening testing of asymptomatic healthcare personnel, including those in nursing homes, is at the discretion of the healthcare facility.  Ref: QSO-20-38-NH REVISED 09/23/2022 (cms.gov)

 

MDH COVID-19 LTC Response Teams

Minnesota Department of Health

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