Emergency Preparedness

Kern Medical Bioterrorism Response Guide Section 2-C-2 – Viral Hemorrhagic Fever

Privacy curtains should be changed when visibly soiled. Floors should be cleaned using a single-bucket procedure of wet mopping. The contents of the bucket should be emptied into the toilet. After each use, the mop head should be removed from the handle and disposed in the linen hamper. Disposable mop heads and cleaning cloths should be used, if available. The bucket and the mop handle should remain in the

patient’s bathroom. Terminal Cleaning

Terminal cleaning should be performed using similar procedures described for daily cleaning. If the room is under negative pressure or HEPA filtration allow the room to air for 2 hours or longer after terminal cleaning before admitting a non-infected patient. Management of Blood and Body Fluids Blood and Body Fluid Spills Blood and body fluid spills should be confined and contained with a biohazard fluid solidification treatment product when possible. Following the removal of the solid waste, decontaminate the area with an EPA-approved disinfectant. Containerized Liquid Blood and Body Fluids Containerized liquid blood, gastric secretions, and pulmonary secretions should be treated with a biohazard fluid solidification treatment product before disposal. The contents of bedpans, urinals and emesis basins should be carefully emptied into the toilet. Several ounces of household bleach should be poured into the toilet and left standing for about 5 minutes before flushing. Soiled Linen Soiled linen should be placed in leak proof bags. When removed from the room, the bag should be placed in a second leak proof bag and clearly identified as “isolation” or “contaminated”. The bag should be carefully secured and removed from the nursing unit in covered carts to a designated holding area. Chutes should not be used. Facility Operated Laundry Soiled linen should be autoclaved prior to transport to the laundry facility. If the linen is not autoclaved, facility laundry workers should wear PPE including N-95 respirators. Commercial Service Infection control practitioners should consult with the commercial laundry service to determine special requirements, if any, for labeling, transporting and processing soiled

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