ASPR/CDC Ebola Screening Criteria
Thursday, October 2, 2014
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response have issued the attached Ebola screening criteria for the entire health care community, including emergency responders, to ensure that they are able to protect, detect and respond to the virus. They recommend that these screening criteria be placed in all emergency departments, ambulances and other “first contact” locations, including outpatient clinics.
The AHA strongly encourages all hospitals and clinics to post these Ebola screening criteria prominently in locations where hospital staff – including intake, triage and clinical staff – can see it. The key to preventing the spread of Ebola is to identify and isolate potential cases as quickly as possible. This outbreak is the largest in history and is primarily affecting countries in West Africa. It is most active in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. CDC has posted the major affected areas in each of these countries, and this information should be factored into the screening taking place in hospital emergency departments, outpatient clinics, ambulances and other “first contact” locations. Please visit CDC’s Ebola website regularly for the latest information. CDC officials are available to assist 24/7 by calling the CDC Emergency Operations Center at 770-488-7100 or via email at eocreport@cdc.gov.
The AHA has updated its Ebola preparedness webpage with resources that hospitals and health systems, as well as emergency response personnel, can use to prepare for Ebola and will continue to share resources with the field as they become available. Hospital leaders Oct. 1 received an AHA advisory with related information, including the CDC’s Detailed Hospital Checklist for Ebola Preparedness.
