Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Overview from the CDC Coronavirus Webinar on 3/16/20

• BIGGEST takeaway - THIS VIRUS IS NOT SHARED through food; it is spread person to person
• CDC has not released any specific Food Guidance
• Hand washing is the key
• Clean and sanitize surfaces on a routine basis
• Define your “high touch surfaces” and be diligent about cleaning them frequently
(those that come to mind: condiments, salt & pepper shakers, dining chair backs and arms, dining tables and any handrails leading into dining rooms)
• High touch surfaces MUST have a regular cleaning regimen
• Disinfectants and cleaners that are approved for healthcare use are effective agents
• Salad bars: It is up to your establishment’s discretion. Use common sense and frequent cleaning of “high touch” areas
• Social distancing: This is especially important for the elderly. Keep that in mind when determining congregate meals/communal dining situations. Work with your care community’s leadership to help decide how best to feed your elders
• Check out the guidance from environmental cleaning recommendations at www.cdc.gov/COVID19
• Touch Screens -high touch surfaces- if used in the dining areas be sure they are cleaned frequently
• Sick employees - stay home! 7 days + 72 hrs. fever free is the guide
• Long-term care communities/hospitals: Please work closely with your healthcare community’s infection preventionist professional on how best to lead your nutrition departments. These individuals are highly skilled in infection prevention and are in contact with state, local, and federal agencies and will help us keep ourselves, staff, and those we care for safe through this epidemic.

Additional questions that you may have may be sent to the Association of Food and Drug Officials.

E-mail afdo@afdo.org

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

In response to President Trump’s declaration of a national state of emergency Friday afternoon, March 13, 2020, CMS has again revised and updated QSO-20-14-NH...Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Nursing Homes.

Included in this guidance is that ALL facilities nationwide “should restrict visitation of all visitors and non-essential health care personnel, except for certain compassionate care situations, such as an end-of-life situation. In those cases, visitors will be limited to a specific room only. Facilities are expected to notify potential visitors to defer visitation until further notice (through signage, calls, letters, etc.).”

Additional guidance includes:

• Cancel communal dining and all group activities, such as internal and external group activities.
• Implement active screening of residents and staff for fever and respiratory symptoms.
• Remind residents to practice social distancing and perform frequent hand hygiene.
• Screen all staff at the beginning of their shift for fever and respiratory symptoms. Actively take their temperature and document absence of shortness of breath, new or change in cough or sore throat. If they are ill, have them put on a facemask and self-isolate at home.
• Facilities should communicate through multiple means to inform individuals and non-essential health care personnel of the visitation restrictions, such as through signage at entrances/exits, letters, emails, phone calls, and recorded messages for receiving calls.
• Facilities should identify staff that work at multiple facilities (e.g., agency staff, regional or corporate staff, etc.) and actively screen and restrict them appropriately to ensure they do not place individuals in the facility at risk for COVID-19.
• Advise visitors, and any individuals who entered the facility (e.g., hospice staff), to monitor for signs and symptoms of respiratory infection for at least 14 days after exiting the facility. If symptoms occur, advise them to self-isolate at home, contact their healthcare provider, and immediately notify the facility of the date they were in the facility, the individuals they were in contact with, and the locations within the facility they visited. Facilities should immediately screen the individuals of reported contact, and take all necessary actions based on findings.