Recent measles outbreaks in the United States are a grim reminder that infection control is crucial for home health agencies.
 
Twenty-two states have seen outbreaks of rubella in recent months, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The disease had been considered eradicated in 2000, and anti-vaccination sentiments are thought to have contributed to its revival.
 
But measles isn’t the only infectious disease making news: Louisiana recently reported its first death attributable to an ongoing hepatitis A (HAV) outbreak, and infection reports from other states such as Virginia and Rhode Island suggest the outbreak is going national.
 
Note earlier this year, CMS said it would update Appendix Z of the State Operations Manual in order to tweak the emergency preparedness requirements for health care. This includes adding “emerging infectious diseases” to the current definition of an all-hazards approach.
 
“After review, CMS determined it was critical for facilities to include planning for infectious diseases within their emergency preparedness program,” according to  a Feb. 1 memo to state survey agency directors. "In light of events such as the Ebola virus and Zika, we believe that facilities should consider preparedness and infection prevention within their all-hazards approach, which covers both natural and man-made disasters.”
 
View guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the measles.
 
View guidance from the CDC about hepatitis A.