CDC, OSHA issue guidance for protecting workers from Zika exposure

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Occupational Safety and Health Administration today issued guidance for protecting outdoor workers, health care and laboratory workers, mosquito control workers and business travelers against occupational exposure to Zika virus. According to the guidance, employers and workers in health care settings and laboratories “should follow good infection control and biosafety practices (including universal precautions) as appropriate,” to prevent or minimize the risk of Zika virus transmission. Standard precautions include hand hygiene and the use of personal protective equipment to avoid direct contact with blood and other potentially infectious materials, including laboratory specimens/samples. Laboratories should ensure that their facilities and practices meet the appropriate Biosafety Level for the type of work being conducted, the guidance states. It notes applicable CDC guidance and OSHA requirements. CDC continues to recommend that health care workers use standard precautions during patient care, regardless of suspected or confirmed Zika infection status, the guidance notes. As of this week, U.S. states have reported 388 travel-associated cases of Zika virus. For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/zika and www.aha.org/zika.