Dr. Alex Kallen on importance of infection prevention and control | COVID-19 Update for Oct. 19, 202

AMA CXO Todd Unger talks with the CDC's Dr. Alex Kallen, chief of the Prevention and Response Branch in the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, about the importance of infection prevention and control and what physicians need to know about updated guidance in this area.  

Helpful IPC resources for physicians:

Infection prevention and control landing page: 
Infection Control Guidance for Healthcare Professionals about Coronavirus (COVID-19) | CDC

The three health care infection prevention and control guidance documents:
Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 
Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Spread in Nursing Homes 
Additional considerations for nursing homes that apply, in addition to, the other 2 guidance documents

COVID-19 Data Tracker:
CDC’s COVID-19 Data Tracker can be used to determine the level of SARS-CoV-2 transmission for the county where the healthcare facility is located 
Some of the IPC measures (e.g., use of source control, screening testing) are influenced by levels of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the community

0:00 AMA COVID-19 Update for October 19, 2021
0:43 Infection prevention and control (IPC) has always been important; how has the pandemic impacted IPC?
2:01 How will the administration's $2.1 billion investment to improve infection prevention and control activities bolster public health across the U.S.?
2:54 Explain the need for updated IPC guidance right now, during the pandemic
4:01 Outline key points physicians need know about the IPC updates
4:55 Where can physicians find updated IPC documents?
5:17 Detail the core IPC guidance that did not change
5:52 Summarize changes that were made
6:51 Explain the rare occasion where fully vaccinated health care personnel can choose not to use source control?
8:01 Provide an example situation for a fully vaccinated HCP
8:57 What are the current recommendations for COVID testing among health care personnel?
10:20 What recommendations changed for COVID-19 quarantine rules?
11:05 Discuss importance of community transmission levels and how emerging variants may impact CDC recommendations
12:09 Where can you find community transmission data and current levels?
12:27 Share key takeaways from the CDC to help prevent spread