Ebola
Dis-ease Prevention, Maintenance, and Cure
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Reducing the risk of Ebola infection in people
In the absence of effective treatment and a human vaccine, raising awareness of the risk factors for Ebola infection and the
protective measures individuals can take is the only way to reduce human infection and death.
During EVD outbreaks, educational public health messages for risk reduction should focus on several factors:
- Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission from contact with infected fruit bats or monkeys/apes and the
consumption of their raw meat. Animals should be handled with gloves and other appropriate protective clothing. Animal
products (blood and meat) should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
- Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission in the community arising from direct or close contact with infected
patients, particularly with their bodily fluids. Close physical contact with Ebola patients should be avoided. Gloves and
appropriate personal protective equipment should be worn when taking care of ill patients at home. Regular hand washing is
required after visiting patients in hospital, as well as after taking care of patients at home.
- Communities affected by Ebola should inform the population about the nature of the disease and about outbreak
containment measures, including burial of the dead. People who have died from Ebola should be promptly and safely buried.
E.g., Pig farms in Africa can play a role in the amplification of infection because of the presence of fruit bats on these farms.
Appropriate bio-security measures should be in place to limit transmission. For RESTV, educational public health messages should
focus on reducing the risk of pig-to-human transmission as a result of unsafe animal husbandry and slaughtering practices, and
unsafe consumption of fresh blood, raw milk or animal tissue. Gloves and other appropriate protective clothing should be worn
when handling sick animals or their tissues and when slaughtering animals. In regions where RESTV has been reported in pigs, all
animal products (blood, meat and milk) should be thoroughly cooked before eating.
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Once a communicable/infectious dis-sease is contracted/confirmed, it is important to isololate/quarantine the
patient and take additional preventive precautions when attending to the needs of the patient.
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Controlling infection in health-care settings
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Controlling infection in health-care settings
Health-care workers should always take standard precautions when caring for patients, regardless of the their presumed
diagnosis. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (to block splashes
or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.
Human-to-human transmission of the Ebola virus is primarily associated with direct or indirect contact with blood and body fluids.
Transmission to health-care workers has been reported when appropriate infection control measures have not been observed.
It is not always possible to identify patients with EBV early because initial symptoms may be non-specific. For this reason, it is
important that health-care workers apply standard precautions consistently with all patients – regardless of their diagnosis – in all
work practices at all times. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, the use of personal protective equipment
(according to the risk of splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.
Health-care workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola virus should apply, in addition to standard precautions,
other infection control measures to avoid any exposure to the patient’s blood and body fluids and direct unprotected contact with
the possibly contaminated environment (e.g., surfaces or materials such as clothing and bedding). When in close contact (within 1
metre) of patients with EBV, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a
clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).
Laboratory workers are also at risk. Samples taken from suspected human and animal Ebola cases for diagnosis should be handled
by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories.
WHO provides expertise and documentation to support disease investigation and control.
Source: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/;
Retrieved September 27, 2014
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Infectious diseases can easily spread between employees and throughout your workplace. If one member of your team gets sick,
they’ll need to take precautions to make sure they don’t infect the rest of your staff. Some diseases can spread faster than others,
especially during a massive outbreak when scientists are still trying to figure out how to best contain the virus.
China is currently dealing with the outbreak of a new coronavirus with some cases spreading to the U.S. Coronaviruses are a
special group of viruses that affect predominantly mammals and birds. They tend to cause respiratory problems in humans with
symptoms resembling the common cold, but some forms of coronavirus can be much more serious. The chances of those in the U.
S. contracting the coronavirus remain extremely low, however the government has restricted all non-essential travel between the
U.S. and China to limit the spread of infection.
Regardless of how this new coronavirus evolves over the next few weeks and months, your business needs to protect itself from
the spread of respiratory illnesses and other infectious diseases. Without proper hygiene and the right safety equipment, a simple
infection could easily spiral out of control, putting some members of your team out of work for days or weeks on end.
Whether it’s a new illness or just a case of the common cold, use these tips to prevent the spread of disease and keep your team as
healthy as possible.
Personal Hygiene Tips and Reminders
To prevent the spread of germs and other illness-causing bacteria, you and your team will need to practice proper personal
hygiene. Germs tend to live on the skin and hands. You and your colleagues may touch dozens, if not hundreds, of different
surfaces throughout the day.
That’s why it’s important to wash your hands frequently throughout the day. Wash them for at least 20 seconds using soap and
water. Make sure you cover all surfaces when washing. If you haven’t had a chance to wash your hands, avoid touching your eyes,
nose, or mouth.
If someone is sick, avoid touching their hands or getting too close. You can always greet them with a wave instead of shaking their
hand.
When you don’t have access to a sink with soap and water, you can also use alcohol-based hand sanitizer gel to quickly remove
germs and bacteria throughout the day. You can carry around a packet of wipes on your person or install a series of sanitizer
dispensers around your workplace. Make sure you keep dispensers at eye level, so they stay visible.
What to Do If You’re Feeling Sick
Some of your workers are bound to get sick from time to time. Encourage your staff to speak up if they’re feeling under the
weather. Sick employees should stay home from work whenever possible to reduce the spread of infection. Send some of your
employees home early if they are having health issues.
If you are suffering from flu-like symptoms, try to avoid close contact with others and encourage your colleagues to do the same.
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Then, throw the tissue away and wash your hands with soap
and water or hand sanitizer gel. Be sure to clean and disinfect any surfaces you may have touched throughout the day.
The chances of one of your team members coming down with the coronavirus remain extremely low, unless they’ve traveled to
China recently. Symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, coughing, shortness of breath, trouble breathing, body aches, sore
throat, vomiting, and diarrhea. Anyone with these symptoms should visit their doctor or an urgent care clinic as soon as possible.
There’s currently no cure for the coronavirus, but most people with a human coronavirus will recover on their own. If you or one
of your colleagues is suffering from flu-like symptoms, take over-the-counter pain and fever medications. You can also use a room
humidifier or take a hot shower to help ease your sore throat or cough. You should also consume plenty of fluids and get lots of
rest when combating the cold or another illness.
Protecting Yourself from Infected Patients
Healthcare workers and other types of professionals working near those with the coronavirus need to take extra precaution to
make sure they don’t get infected. Care providers often need to work near their patients, so the rules mentioned above may not
apply.
In addition to regularly washing their hands with soap and water, healthcare workers and other professionals will need to wear
respirator masks when dealing directly with coronavirus patients. You’ve probably seen hundreds of Chinese citizens wearing face
masks on the news to prevent the spread of infection, but simple cloth masks can only do so much to prevent infection.
The CDC recommends wearing a N95 respirator mask, a common type of industrial face mask. These respirators filter out 95
percent of particles at least 0.3 microns in diameter. These face masks need to be individually adjusted to make sure they fit
correctly. There shouldn’t be any gaps or openings between the lining of the mask and the person’s face.
Most germs and bacteria spread through the air. Wearing a respirator mask will be your first line of defense against the spread of
infection. Look for high-quality respirators with built-in filters, full face masks, and other accessories for added protection on the
job. You can also invest in a fit testing kit to make sure all your masks fit properly.
The coronavirus continues to spread throughout China with only a few reported cases here in the U.S. Reducing the spread of
germs and bacteria will help you keep your team as healthy as possible. Talk to your employees about the tips mentioned above
and post personal hygiene signs and reminders around your workplace. You and your team can work with more peace of mind
when you have access to the right safety gear.
Source: PKSafety.com Blog
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For a lot of job sites, safety masks and respirators are an essential piece of PPE. The lungs are delicate, important organs that are
hard to repair if they get damaged, and inhaling the wrong chemical can have devastating effects on other areas of the body as
well. Protect yourself from invisible airborne particles by investing in a respirator or mask suited to your job.
How Masks and Respirators Are Rated
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is a division of the CDC. They determine the ratings that allow
people to choose the right mask for the job. Because government agencies determine ratings for masks, purchasing more
expensive brand name N95 masks won’t necessarily provide “better” protection.
The ratings are based on a performance standard. Both the filter material and the relative quality of the mask fit are factored into
whether a mask earns a particular rating. The challenge in determining this is smoke with 0.3 micron sized particles. How well
does the filter media catch these little buggers, and does the mask fit seal off the path for unfiltered air?
Modern filter media uses a built-in static charge to attract and retain particles as they are pulled through. Some grades of filter can
have this static charge ruined when in contact with oil mist. The letter in a mask’s name tells you whether or not the mask can
resist oil: N masks are not oil resistant, P masks are oil proof, and R masks are oil resistant.
The number in a rating tells you the minimum amount of airborne challenge particles the mask protects against: an N95 mask
keeps out at least 95% of particles but isn’t oil resistant, and a P100 mask is oil proof while protecting the wearer from at least
99.8% of particles.
Where to Use Your N95 Masks
N95 masks see a lot of use in industrial and construction applications where dust and liquids are a frequent hazard. They’re not
suited for areas with lead or asbestos particles, gases, oil-based particulates, aerosols, or some particular healthcare applications:
specialized filters, masks, and respirators are needed for those kinds of work. Face masks are meant to be single-use and disposed
of after removal, and they’re not meant to be shared.
Can N95 Masks Protect Me from a Virus?
The emergence of Wuhan coronavirus (and SARS before that) has a lot of people concerned and stocking up on N95 masks. Viruses
and bacteria are generally too small for a mask to protect against, though they are almost always in a droplet from a sneeze or
cough. The mask will stop the droplets.
Please also remember that your eyes are another pathway, so glasses or goggles may be prudent. Another good thing about
wearing a mask is that it prevents you from touching your nose and mouth! This is a prime route for the spread of viruses.
If you are the infected person, please avoid the masks that have an exhalation valve. They do breathe easier than those without,
but they allow unfiltered air to escape the mask, and this may not be what you have in mind.
It’s also recommended that you wear a face mask if you have symptoms and are entering a healthcare facility for treatment, and
healthcare professionals would likely benefit from wearing one as well. If you do wear a mask, choose one that can be fitted to
your face, and use the same health and hygiene practices you would use to prevent the flu (stay home if you’re sick, wash your
hands frequently and thoroughly, avoid close contact with others, and keep the disinfectant handy).PK Safety N95 Respirators and
Masks
Choosing the right PPE for your workers and job can seem like a daunting prospect, but it’s a necessary one to make sure that
everyone stays healthy on the job. PK Safety carries a variety of respirators, face masks, and filters for every worksite need from a
variety of trusted brands. Our safety experts can answer your questions about air quality, equipment, and worksite safety online or
by phone at 800.829.9580.
Source: PKSafety.com Blog
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