Infectious Diseases


AZ State Lab Sharing Biosafety Outreach Guidance

The Association of Public Health Laboratories asked the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory to present its biosafety outreach program in a national webinar, which will take place next month.

WHO Declares Ebola Transmission Over in Guinea

"The coming months will be absolutely critical," said Dr. Bruce Aylward, special representative of the director-general for the Ebola response at WHO. "WHO will maintain surveillance and outbreak response teams in the three countries through 2016."

The OSHA/NIOSH toolkit contains an appendix that is an editable document any hospital can use to draw up its respiratory protection program.

WHO Publishing Report Next Year on Violence Against Health Workers

According to WHO's Dec. 7 announcement, from Ukraine to Afghanistan, 603 health workers were killed and 958 injured in 2014 attacks in 32 countries, according to data compiled by the WHO from various sources.

The new hospital safety-related website

ACA Cutting Hospital Deaths, Report Shows

The reduction came about partly because of the ACA, which prioritizes efforts to prevent these infections, including through Medicare payment incentives to improve the quality of care and the HHS Partnership for Patients initiative.

American Red Cross Offers Holiday Travel Tips

ARC suggests that people traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday, as millions of Americans are doing today, start by downloading the Red Cross First Aid App, which provides expert advice on what to do in case of an emergency.

Slippery floors due to the frequent washing process are also a constant concern in health care settings.

A Spill, a Slip, a Hospital Trip

Slips, trips, and falls are an everyday risk at hospitals and comprise one of the top accident categories.

CDC Funds Six New Prevention Epicenters

CDC awarded a total of $11 million to six academic institutions, which will work to identify possible new ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as Ebola in health care facilities.

This stock image taken in 2012 shows part of the vast crowd at a holy site in Mecca during that year

More Than 25,000 Health Workers Ready to Aid Hajj Pilgrims

"We recognize the concerns that many have regarding infectious disease in today's environment, including the Middle East respiratory disease coronavirus. However, since the onset of the disease in 2012, there have not been any cases among hajj pilgrims, and we are working to keep it that way," said Khalid Al-Falih, minister of health of Saudi Arabia.



New Ebola Drug Advances in Development

ASPR and BARDA are working together to fund a new monoclonal antibody drug.

Absorbing the Lessons of WHO's Ebola Response

An expert panel's report finds WHO does not possess the capacity or organizational culture to deliver a full emergency public response.

ANA Calls for RNs to Be Immunized Against Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

But ANA said exemptions for medical or religious reasons should be allowed.

WHO: Ebola Vaccine Highly Effective

WHO's announcement said while the vaccine has shown 100 percent efficacy in individuals, "more conclusive evidence is needed on its capacity to protect populations through what is called 'herd immunity.' To that end, the Guinean national regulatory authority and ethics review committee have approved continuation of the trial."

WHO Calls for Action Against Hepatitis

WHO recommends vaccinating all children against hepatitis B infection and also adults who are at increased risk of contracting Hepatitis B.

OSHA Updates Tuberculosis-Related Health Care Inspection Instructions

The instructions now incorporate guidance from a more recent CDC report.

The assessment team

WHO Responds to Ebola Assessment Panel's Report

WHO's announcement said the agency is already working on some of the recommendations, including the development of the global health emergency workforce and a contingency fund to ensure needed resources are available to mount an initial response.

HHS Launches National Ebola Training Center

"While this training starts with Ebola, it also will help the health care community deal with other serious infectious diseases in the future," said Dr. Nicole Lurie, the HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response.

The OSHA/NIOSH toolkit contains an appendix that is an editable document any hospital can use to draw up its respiratory protection program.

OSHA Steps Up Enforcement at Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care Facilities

Inspectors will be on the lookout for five hazards: musculoskeletal disorders caused by patient handling, bloodborne pathogens, workplace violence, tuberculosis, and slips, trips and falls.

The ninth meeting of WHO

Assessing the Threat of MERS

WHO's Emergency Committee held its ninth meeting on June 16, by teleconference, in response to the outbreak in the Republic of Korea.

The letter report rleased Dec. 29, 2015, outlines the systematic review that will be made of interventions to decrease the risk of Alzheimer

July Meeting to Feature Update on HAI Prevention Activities

Advisory committee members will hear an update on CDC's activities for prevention and control of health care-associated infections (HAIs), updates on hospital antimicrobial stewardship activities, and an update on a Draft Guideline to Prevent Surgical Site Infections.

The OSHA/NIOSH toolkit contains an appendix that is an editable document any hospital can use to draw up its respiratory protection program.

OSHA and NIOSH Release Hospital Respiratory Toolkit

It covers respirator use, public health guidance on respirator use during exposure to infectious diseases, and hazard assessment, with an appendix being an editable document a hospital can customize to meet its specific needs.

Product Showcase

  • HAZ LO HEADLAMPS

    With alkaline or rechargeable options, these safety rated, Class 1, Div. 1 Headlamps provide long runtime with both spot and flood options in the same light. Work safely and avoid trip hazards with flexible hands-free lighting from Streamlight. 3

  • Safety Shower Test Cart

    The Safety Shower Test Cart speeds up and simplifies emergency shower tests, ensures you stay in compliance with OSHA regulations, and significantly reduces testing costs. With 7 unique features, the cart makes testing easy, effective, and efficient. You can test water clarity, flow, temperature, and spread—all at the same time! Most safety shower testing kits create a mess, take too much time to use, and don't fully help you stay in compliance with OSHA & ANSI standards. Transform the way you test emergency showers with Green Gobbler Safety. 3

  • NoiseCHEK Personal Noise Dosimeter

    SKC NoiseCHEK is the easiest-to-use dosimeter available! Designed specifically for OEHS professionals, SKC NoiseCHEK offers the easiest operation and accurate noise measurements. Everything you need is right in your palm. Pair Bluetooth models to your mobile devices and monitor workers remotely with the SmartWave dB app without interrupting workflow. Careful design features like a locking windscreen, sturdy clip, large front-lit display, bright status LEDs, and more make NoiseCHEK the top choice in noise dosimeters. Demo NoiseCHEK at AIHA Connect Booth 1003. 3

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