The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 9th January 2022 has publishes the revised guidlines for managing Health Care Workers (HCWs) working in COVID and Non COVID areas of the Health Care Facilities.
All health facilities shall activate its Hospital Infection Control Committee (HICC). The HICC in the health facility is responsible for implementing the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) activities and organizing regular trainings on IPC for HCWs
A Nodal Officer shall be identified by each health facility to address all matters related to Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs). With reference to preventing such infection among healthcare workers, the nodal officer will ensure that:
- Healthcare workers in different settings of hospitals shall use PPEs appropriate to their risk profile.
- All healthcare workers have undergone training on Infection Prevention and Control and they are aware of common signs and symptoms, need for self-health monitoring and need for prompt reporting of such symptoms.
- Provisions have been made for regular (thermal) screening of all hospital staff.
- All HCWs are vaccinated with 2 doses of the COVID vaccine and also take the precautionary third dose as per prescribed protocol.
- Provisions have been made for prompt reporting of breach of PPE by the hospital staff and follow up action.
All the Healthcare workers must report every unprotected exposure/ breach of PPE while managing COVID-19 patients to the concerned nodal officer and HoD of the concerned department immediately. Such exposed HCWs shall continue to work wearing appropriate PPE and test themselves at day 5 of the exposure or if symptoms develop anytime within 14 days from the day of exposure.
