CDC updates PPE guidance for healthcare workers

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidance on what personal protective equipment (PPE) healthcare workers, including radiologists, should wear when caring for patients who have or are suspected of having COVID-19.

Healthcare providers who have close contact with patients who are infected or are suspected of being infected should wear gloves, a gown, and respiratory protection that is as least as protective as a fit-tested National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-certified disposable N95 filtering facepiece respirator.

Also recommended is eye protection, like goggles or disposable face shields that cover the front and side of the face. A face mask should be worn if a respirator is not available, according to the guidance.

Additionally, before a department receives a patient, it should be notified in advance of the transport. The patient should wear a face mask and be covered with a clean sheet before they are transferred.

Before healthcare workers leave the rooms where patients were moved, they should remove their gowns, gloves, and eye protection and wash their hands once patient transfers are completed.