Currently there are no cases of Ebola in New Hampshire, however the state and medical community are discussing the emergency response, should a case present itself. The entire spectrum of health care, including home care, is reviewing CDC and WHO guidelines, as well as sharing preparedness checklists for Ebola preparations, participating in webinars with NH public health officials and discussing resource needs such as adequate protective equipment and isolation capacity. Infectious Disease Specialists, Infection Prevention Coordinators and Hospital Emergency Preparedness Coordinators, among others, have been an integral part of the planning and discussions.
NH DHHS has prepared many documents and links on Ebola including Fact Sheets, FAQs, Travel Advisories and checklists for healthcare providers, health care facilities and EMS personnel and Health Alerts and can be found at: http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/ebola.htm
Preparing for Ebola in Home Care Ebola Fact Sheet NAHC Resource Moving From Panic to Prepared-by Elizabeth Talbot, MD, NH DHHS
Guidance & Recommendations
- Guidance on Personal Protective Equipment To Be Used by Healthcare Workers During Management of Patients with Ebola Virus Disease, Including Procedures for Putting On (Donning) and Removing (Doffing)
- Tightened Guidance for PPE- CDC
- Environmental Infection Control in Hospitals for Ebola Virus – Interim Guidance
- Safe Handling of Human Remains of Ebola Patients in U. S. Hospitals and Mortuaries
- Medical Waste Management
- Sequence for Putting On and Removing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)[PDF – 3 pages]
- Tools for Protecting Healthcare Personnel
Laboratory (specimen collection, transport, testing, submission)
- Specimen Collection, Transport, Testing, and Submission for Persons Under Investigation for Ebola in the U.S. – Interim Guidance
- Factsheet – Visual format[PDF – 1 page]
- Packaging and Shipping Clinical Specimens Diagram
- Frequently Asked Questions for U.S. Clinical Laboratories
- Compliance with Select Agent Regulations for Laboratories Handling Patient Specimens that are Known or Suspected to Contain Ebola Virus – Interim Guidance
Patient Transportation/Monitoring/Movement
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems and 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for Management of Patients with Known or Suspected Ebola Virus Disease in the United States – Interim Guidance
- Monitoring and Movement of Persons with Exposure to Ebola Virus Disease Exposure – Interim Guidance
- Air Medical Transport for Patients with Ebola Virus Disease
Checklists and Templates
- Checklist – Hospital Preparedness for Ebola [PDF – 6 pages]
- Template – Ebola Screening Criteria for Emergency Departments[PDF – 1 page]
- Checklist – Healthcare Facility Preparedness for Ebola[PDF – 2 pages]
- Checklist – Healthcare Provider Preparedness for Ebola[PDF – 2 pages]
- Checklist – Healthcare Coalitions Preparedness for Ebola[PDF – 4 pages]
- Checklist – Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Preparedness for Ebola[PDF – 5 pages]
- Template – Ebola Screening Criteria for EMS[PDF – 1 page]
- Self-Assessment for State and Local Public Health Officials – Top 10 Ebola Response Planning Tips