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0 | COVID-19 Risk | Who is at risk for infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19? | Currently, those at greatest risk of infection are persons who have had prolonged, unprotected close contact (i.e., within 6 feet for 15 minutes or longer) with a patient with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, regardless of whether the patient has symptoms. Persons frequently in congregate settings (e.g., homeless shelte... |
1 | COVID-19 Risk | Who is at risk for severe COVID-19? | Among adults, the risk for severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age, with older adults at highest risk. Severe illness means that the person with COVID-19 may require hospitalization, intensive care, or a ventilator to help them breathe, or they may even die. People of any age with certain underlying medical con... |
2 | COVID-19 Risk | What is multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and who is at risk? | CDC continues to investigate multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19. Children and adolescents with MIS-C have presented with a persistent fever and a variety of signs and symptoms including involvement of multiple organs (e.g., cardiac, gastrointestinal, renal, hematologic, derma... |
3 | Infection Control | When should healthcare facilities make changes to interventions based on changes in community transmission levels? | Some CDC infection prevention and control recommendations for healthcare settings are based on Community Transmission levels. 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 r... |
4 | Infection Control | Can employees choose to wear respirators when not required by the employer? | In situations where the use of a respirator is not required either by the employer or by an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard, the employer may still offer filtering facepiece respirators or permit employees to use their own respirators as long as the employer determines that such respirator... |
5 | Infection Control | What should visitors use for source control (masks or respirators) when visiting healthcare facilities? | CDC recommends that people visiting healthcare facilities use the most protective form of source control (masks or respirators) that fits well and will be worn consistently. Healthcare facilities may choose to offer well-fitting facemasks as a source control option for visitors but should allow the use of a clean mask ... |
6 | Infection Control | Should facilities that perform elective medical pre-procedural testing of asymptomatic patients modify their testing based on a patient's report of a positive viral test for SARS-CoV-2 in the prior 90 days? | In general, viral testing is not necessary for asymptomatic patients who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection in the prior 90 days. However, if a facility is performing medical pre-procedural viral testing and the patient cannot provide documentation of their prior positive viral test, the safest approach is for t... |
7 | Infection Control | How should isolation and quarantine recommendations be applied to outpatients and visitors in healthcare settings? | Healthcare facilities should generally refer to the isolation and quarantine recommendations for patients when making decisions about visitation, non-urgent in-person appointments, and the recommended precautions that should be implemented to accommodate visits. Outpatients and visitors who are infected with SARS-CoV-2... |
8 | Infection Control | Can self-tests (also known as over-the-counter or home tests) be used when determining when healthcare personnel (HCP) with SARS-CoV-2 infection or higher-risk exposures may return to work? | Viral testing is recommended following a higher-risk exposure and might also be used to inform when HCP with SARS-CoV-2 infection may return to work. Using laboratory-based or point-of-care tests are generally preferred in these situations; these tests help ensure the test was administered correctly by a trained provid... |
9 | Infection Control | Do CDC's interim infection prevention and control recommendations for COVID-19 apply to psychiatric hospitals or other behavioral health facilities | Yes. To keep patients and healthcare personnel (HCP) healthy and safe, CDC’s infection prevention and control guidance applies to all settings where healthcare is delivered. However, as with any guidance, facilities can tailor certain recommendations to their setting. For example, inpatient psychiatric care includes co... |
10 | Infection Control | Why does CDC continue to recommend respiratory protection equivalent or higher to the level provided by an N95 disposable filtering facepiece respirator for care of patients with known or suspected COVID-19? | CDC’s guidance to use NIOSH-approved N95 or equivalent or higher level respirators when providing care for patients with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection is based on the current understanding of SARS-CoV-2 and related respiratory viruses. Current knowledge about modes of SARS-CoV-2 transmission are describe... |
11 | Infection Control | What personal protective equipment (PPE) should be worn by individuals transporting patients with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection within a healthcare facility? For example, what PPE should be worn when transporting the patient to radiology for imaging that cannot be performed in the patient room? | In general, transport and movement of a patient with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection outside of their room should be limited to medically essential purposes. If being transported outside of the room, such as to radiology, healthcare personnel (HCP) in the receiving area should be notified in advance of tran... |
12 | Infection Control | What personal protective equipment (PPE) should be worn by environmental services (EVS) personnel who clean and disinfect rooms of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection? | In general, minimize the number of personnel entering the room of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Healthcare facilities should consider assigning daily cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces to nursing personnel who will already be in the room providing care to the patient. If this responsibility is assig... |
13 | Infection Control | Which procedures are considered aerosol generating procedures in healthcare settings? | Some procedures performed on patients are more likely to generate higher concentrations of infectious respiratory aerosols than coughing, sneezing, talking, or breathing. These aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) potentially put healthcare personnel and others at an increased risk for pathogen exposure and infection. ... |
14 | Infection Control | How long does an examination room need to remain vacant after being occupied by a patient with confirmed or suspected COVID-19? | The amount of time that the air inside an examination room remains potentially infectious depends on a number of factors including the size of the room, the number of air changes per hour, how long the patient was in the room, if the patient was coughing or sneezing, and if an aerosol-generating procedure was performed... |
15 | Infection Control | My hospital is experiencing a shortage of isolation gowns. To preserve our supply, can we stop using gowns for the care of patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other endemic multidrug-resistant oragnisms (MDROs), and Clostridioides difficile? | CDC has released information about strategies to optimize the supply of isolation gowns. Healthcare facilities should refer to that guidance and implement the recommended strategies to optimize their current supply of gowns. This includes shifting toward the use of washable cloth gowns, if feasible. The use of gowns as... |
16 | Infection Control | A healthcare provider at our facility was recently diagnosed with COVID-19. What time period and criteria do we use to determine the patients, visitors, and other healthcare personnel (HCP) who might have been exposed to this individual while he/she was potentially infectious? | Anyone who had prolonged close contact (within 6 feet for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with the infected healthcare provider might be at risk for transmission. If the provider had COVID-19 symptoms, the provider is considered potentially infectious beginning 2 days before symptoms fir... |
17 | Infection Control | Questions addressing the proper handling of healthcare personnel (HCP) who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection, but are still within 3 months of onset of their prior infection. | If HCP within 3 months of their initial infection develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19, should they be excluded from work or retested? If HCP develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 within 3 months of a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection they should be evaluated to identify potential etiologies for their symptoms. I... |
18 | Infection Control | If healthcare personnel (HCP) are living with someone who has been diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, should they be excluded from work? If so, for how long? | HCP with exposures in the community should be managed in the same way that HCP with exposure in a healthcare facility are managed. HCP who have been in close contact (within 6 feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone who has SARS-CoV-2 infection in the community s... |
19 | Infection Control | Does CDC recommend the use of oral antimicrobial rinses before dental appointments to prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2? | Preprocedural mouth rinses (PPMR) with an antimicrobial product (e.g. chlorhexidine gluconate, povidone-iodine) have been shown to reduce the level of oral microorganisms in aerosols and spatter generated during dental procedures. Evidence from recent studies suggest that some PPMR solutions are efficacious and may tem... |
20 | Testing, Diagnosis, and Notification | How do you test a patient for infection wtih SARS-COV-2? | Clinicians are able to access laboratory testing through state and local public health laboratories, as well as commercial and clinical laboratories across the country. The Association of Public Health Laboratories provides a list of states and territories with laboratories that are using COVID-19 viral tests. For more... |
21 | Testing, Diagnosis, and Notification | Do existing commercially available multiple respiratory virus panels detect SARS-CoV-2? | Yes. There are commercially developed respiratory panels with multi-pathogen molecular assays that can detect respiratory pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and other human coronaviruses that can cause acute respiratory illness. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains a list of tests that include... |
22 | Testing, Diagnosis, and Notification | If a patient tests positive for another respiratory virus, should that exclude SARS-CoV-2 as a cause of illness? | Patients can be infected with more than one virus at the same time. Coinfections with other respiratory viruses in people with COVID-19 have been reported. Therefore, identifying infection with one respiratory virus does not exclude SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. |
23 | Testing, Diagnosis, and Notification | Should chest CT be used for diagnosis of COVID-19? | Clinicians considering use of chest CT scans for diagnosis or management of COVID-19 patients should consider whether such imaging will change clinical management. The American College of Radiology (ACR) recommends that CT should not be used to screen for COVID-19, or as a first-line test to diagnose COVID-19, and that... |
24 | Testing, Diagnosis, and Notification | Whom should healthcare providers notify if they suspect a patient has COVID-19? | Healthcare providers should immediately notify infection control personnel at their facility if they suspect COVID-19 in a patient. If a patient tests positive, providers should report that positive result to their local/state health department. |
25 | Testing, Diagnosis, and Notification | How do you diagnose and report a potential case of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)? | Patients with MIS-C have presented with a persistent fever and a variety of signs and symptoms including multiorgan (e.g., cardiac, gastrointestinal, renal, hematologic, dermatologic, neurologic) involvement and elevated inflammatory markers. Not all children will have the same symptoms. For children who may have MIS-C... |
26 | Treatment and Management | Should post-exposure prophylaxis be used for people who may have been exposed to a person with COVID-19? | There is currently no FDA-approved post-exposure prophylaxis for people who may have been exposed to COVID-19. For information about registered clinical trials of investigational therapeutics for pre- or post-exposure prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, visit ClinicalTrials.gov. For more information on movement restri... |
27 | Treatment and Management | How are COVID-19 patients treated? | Not all patients with COVID-19 will require medical supportive care. Clinical management for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is focused on supportive care for complications, including supplemental oxygen and advanced organ support for respiratory failure, septic shock, and multi-organ failure. Empiric testing and t... |
28 | Treatment and Management | Do patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 need to be admitted to the hospital? | Not all patients with COVID-19 require hospital admission. Patients whose clinical presentation warrants in-patient clinical management for supportive medical care should be admitted to the hospital under appropriate Transmission-Based Precautions. Some patients with initial mild clinical presentation may worsen in the... |
29 | Treatment and Management | When can patients with confirmed COVID-19 be discharged from the hospital? | Patients can be discharged from the healthcare facility whenever clinically indicated. Meeting criteria for discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions is not a prerequisite for discharge from a healthcare facility. Isolation should be maintained at home if the patient returns home before the time period recommen... |
30 | Testing, Isolation, and Quarantine for Persons Who Have Recovered from Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection | What do we know about detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA after clinical recovery from COVID-19? | Many recovered persons do not have detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA in upper respiratory tract specimens. However, viral RNA can be persistently detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in respiratory tract samples in some persons after apparent clinical recovery. In some persons, after testing ne... |
31 | Testing, Isolation, and Quarantine for Persons Who Have Recovered from Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection | Are clinically recovered persons infectiouso to others if they test persistently or recurrently positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA? | Whether the presence of detectable but low concentrations of viral RNA after clinical recovery represents the presence of potentially infectious virus is unknown. Based on experience with other viruses, it is unlikely that such persons pose an important infectious risk to others. However, whether this is true for SARS-... |
32 | Testing, Isolation, and Quarantine for Persons Who Have Recovered from Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection | Can cycle threshold (Ct) values be used to assess when a person is no longer infectious? | No. Although attempts to culture virus from upper respiratory specimens have been largely unsuccessful when Ct values are in high but detectable ranges, Ct values are not a quantitative measure of viral burden. In addition, Ct values are not standardized by RT-PCR platform nor have they been approved by FDA for use in ... |
33 | Testing, Isolation, and Quarantine for Persons Who Have Recovered from Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection | What further evidence is needed to be reassured that persistent or recurrent shedding of SARS-CoV-2 RNA after recovery does not represent the presence of infectious virus? | Prospectively collecting serial respiratory samples and attempting to isolate live virus in tissue culture from multiple persons testing positive by RT-PCR following illness recovery is needed. If repeated attempts to recover replication-competent virus in culture from such serial samples are unsuccessful, that data wo... |
34 | Testing, Isolation, and Quarantine for Persons Who Have Recovered from Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection | Can viral culture be used to demonstrate that a person who had persistently or recurrently detectable viral RNA is not infectious to others? | Yes. However, viral culture is not widely performed for SARS-CoV-2. It must be conducted in Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories using BSL-3 practices by experienced virologists and culture results can take a week or more. Therefore, while persons whose specimens do not yield live virus are considered no longer infec... |
35 | Testing, Isolation, and Quarantine for Persons Who Have Recovered from Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection | A person who previously tested positive by RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 and clinically recovered from COVID-19 is later tested again, for example, as part of a contract tracing investigation. If that person again tests positive by RT-PCR, should they be managed as potentially infectious to others, and isolated again for COVID... | For persons who remain asymptomatic following recovery from COVID-19, retesting (e.g., as part of a contact tracing investigation) is not necessary during the first 3 months after the date of symptom onset. When a positive test occurs less than 3 months after the person’s symptom onset of their most recent illness, it ... |
36 | Testing, Isolation, and Quarantine for Persons Who Have Recovered from Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection | If a previously infected person has clinically recovered but later experiences symptoms consistent with COVID-19, should the person be isolated again and tested for SARS-CoV-2? | If a previously infected person experiences new symptoms consistent with COVID-19 3 months or more after the date of the previous illness onset (or date of last positive viral diagnostic test [RT-PCR or antigen test] if the person never experienced symptoms), the person should undergo repeat viral diagnostic testing. H... |
37 | Testing, Isolation, and Quarantine for Persons Who Have Recovered from Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection | If an infected person has clinically recovered and then later is identified as a contact of another person with COVID-19, do they need to be quarantined? | If a person has clinically recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection and is then identified as a contact of a new case 3 months or more after the date of symptom onset of their previous illness episode (or date of positive viral diagnostic test [RT-PCR or antigen test] if the person never experienced symptoms), then they sho... |
38 | Testing, Isolation, and Quarantine for Persons Who Have Recovered from Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection | If an infected person has clinically recovered using the symptom-based strategy, do they need a test to show they are not infectious? | No. The symptom-based strategy is intended to replace the need for repeated testing. |
39 | Testing, Isolation, and Quarantine for Persons Who Have Recovered from Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection | If an infected person has clinically recovered, should the person continue to wear a cloth face covering in public? | Yes. It is recommended that all persons, with a few exceptions, wear cloth face coverings in public.1 The primary purpose of cloth face coverings is to limit transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from infected persons who may be infectious but do not have clinical symptoms of illness or may have early or mild symptoms that they d... |
40 | Testing, Isolation, and Quarantine for Persons Who Have Recovered from Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection | What should I do if I suspect a potential case of reinfection? | Although current understanding of reinfection remains limited, CDC is working with its partners to characterize the clinical features, transmissibility, and immunological profile around reinfection with SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, the guidance remains the same to reinfections as to primary infection with SARS-CoV-2. To furt... |
41 | Drugs and Investigational Therapies | Are empiric antibiotics recommended for patients suspected of having COVID-19? | Several patients with COVID-19 have been reported to present with concurrent community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. Decisions to administer antibiotics to COVID-19 patients should be based on the likelihood of bacterial infection (community-acquired or hospital-acquired), illness severity, and antimicrobial stewardshi... |
42 | Drugs and Investigational Therapies | What antiviral drugs are available to treat COVID-19? | The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has published guidelines on testing and management of patients with COVID-19. For more information, please visit the NIH Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Treatment Guidelines. The recommendations are based on scientific evidence and expert opinion and are regularly updated as ... |
43 | Drugs and Investigational Therapies | Do nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) worsen the course of disease for people with COVID-19? | CDC is currently not aware of scientific evidence establishing a link between NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen) and worsening of COVID‑19. FDAexternal icon, the European Medicines Agency, the World Health Organization, and CDC are continuing to monitor the situation and will review new information on the effects of NS... |
44 | Patients with Asthma | If I have patients with asthma, do I need to make any changes to their daily asthma preventive management regimens to reduce their risk of getting sick with COVID-19? | People with moderate to severe asthma, particularly if not well controlled, might be at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. Based on what we currently know about COVID-19, the selection of therapeutic options through guideline-recommended treatment of asthma has not been affected. National asthma guidelines... |
45 | Patients with Asthma | If my patient experiences an asthma exacerbation, should the exacerbation be treated any differently to reduce risk of COVID-19? | Selection of therapeutic options through guideline-recommended treatment of asthma exacerbations has not been affected by what we currently know about COVID-19. Systemic corticosteroids should be used to treat an asthma exacerbation per national asthma guidelines and current standards of care, even if it is caused by C... |
46 | Patients with Asthma | Are any changes recommended to the asthma treatment plan if my mpatient with asthma has COVID-19? | Patients can be referred to CDC’s recommendations for caring for themselves or someone else at home sick with COVID-19. If nebulizer use at home is necessary for patients with asthma who have symptoms or a diagnosis of COVID-19, use of the nebulizer in a location that minimizes and preferably avoids exposure to any oth... |
47 | Patients with Hypertension | Are patients with hypertension at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19? | Many patients with severe illness from COVID-19 have underlying hypertension.1 Hypertension is common in the United States. Hypertension is more frequent with advancing age and among non-Hispanic blacks and people with other underlying medical conditions such as obesity and diabetes. At this time, people whose only und... |
48 | Patients with Hypertension | Sholud angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) be stopped in patients with COVID-19? | No. The American Heart Association, the Heart Failure Society of America, and the American College of Cardiology recommend continuing ACE-I or ARB medications for all patients already prescribed those medications for indications such as heart failure, hypertension, or ischemic heart disease. At this time, available evi... |
49 | Waste Management | What do waste management companies need to know about wastewater and sewage coming from a healthcare facility or community setting with either a known COVID-19 patient or person under investigation (PUI)? | Waste generated in the care of PUIs or patients with confirmed COVID-19 does not present additional considerations for wastewater disinfection in the United States. Coronaviruses are susceptible to the same disinfection conditions in community and healthcare settings as other viruses, so current disinfection conditions... |
50 | Waste Management | Do wastewater and sewage workers need any additional protection when handling untreated waste from healthcare or community setting with either a known COVID-19 patient or PUI? | Wastewater workers should use standard practices including basic hygiene precautions and wear the recommended PPE as prescribed for their current work tasks when handling untreated waste. There is no evidence to suggest that employees of wastewater plants need any additional protections in relation to COVID-19. |
51 | Waste Management | Should medical waste or general waste from healthcare facilities treating PUIs and patients with confirmed COVID-19 be handled any differently or need any additional disinfection? | Medical waste (trash) coming from healthcare facilities treating COVID-2019 patients is no different than waste coming from facilities without COVID-19 patients. CDC’s guidance states that management of laundry, food service utensils, and medical waste should be performed in accordance with routine procedures. There is... |
52 | Cleaning and Disinfection of Environmental Surfaces | How are environmental surfaces involved in the transmission of infections? | Surfaces can become contaminated with microorganisms and potential pathogens. However, many of these surfaces are generally not directly associated with transmission of infections to either healthcare workers or patients. The transfer of pathogens from environmental surfaces is largely due to hand contact with the sur... |
53 | Cleaning and Disinfection of Environmental Surfaces | How does one interrupt transmission of pathogens from environmental surfaces? | Both hand hygiene and the cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces are fundamental practices to reduce the incidence of healthcare-associated infections. |
54 | Cleaning and Disinfection of Environmental Surfaces | Where can I find detailed information on cleaning and disinfection? | For more information see our guidelines for healthcare facilities that cover cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and hand hygiene: Guideline for Environmental Infection Control, 2003. Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization, 2008. Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings |
55 | Cleaning and Disinfection of Environmental Surfaces | Why is cleaning of surfaces important? | Cleaning is an important first step for any process that involves disinfection or sterilization because the presence of organic and inorganic soils may cause disinfection or sterilization to fail. Cleaning is the process of removing both organic and inorganic matter from surfaces with the use of detergents (e.g., anio... |
56 | Cleaning and Disinfection of Environmental Surfaces | What detergents are used for routine environmental cleaning in healthcare settings? | Many cleaners used in healthcare settings for routine cleaning of the general environment are cationic detergents, with many of these being quaternary ammonium compounds which are also low- to intermediate-level disinfectants. For EPA registered detergent disinfectants, refer to the label to determine if the product is... |
57 | Cleaning and Disinfection of Environmental Surfaces | Are there ways to audit the cleaning process? | Cleaning guidelines vary based on devices and surfaces being cleaned. Multiple methods are used to measure the residual bioburden or effectiveness of cleaning (e.g., ATP, fluorescent markers, blood, protein, carbohydrate, and RODACTM plates, or touch plates) See the CDC Environmental Toolkit for additional information ... |
58 | Cleaning and Disinfection of Environmental Surfaces | What are no-touch devices or NTDs? | No-touch devices (NTDs) are sometimes used in healthcare settings as an adjunct to terminal room cleaning (i.e., after patient discharge or transfer). They are not currently able to replace existing cleaning and disinfection processes. These devices use a variety of different disinfection technologies such as ultraviol... |
59 | Cleaning and Disinfection of Environmental Surfaces | What information is available about the use of electrostatic sprayers or foggers for the disinfection of rooms and surfaces in healthcare environments? | These devices are typically used as an adjunct technology to terminal room cleaning. This means that the patient has been transferred or discharged and is no longer occupying the space. So that EVS may begin cleaning and disinfecting the room in preparation for a new patient (e.g., terminal cleaning). For information ... |
60 | Cleaning and Disinfection of Environmental Surfaces | Is ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) recommended for disinfection of air and surfaces in the healthcare setting? | UVGI can be used as a supplemental treatment for disinfection of air in HVAC systems or above people in occupied spaces (upper-room or upper-air systems) and for supplemental disinfection of surfaces following routine cleaning and disinfection. UVGI, also known as Germicidal Ultraviolet (GUV), uses ultraviolet energy i... |
Dataset extracted from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/faq.html#Treatment-and-Management.
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