Health Commissioner Mary E. O’Dowd and other Department of Health staff held a conference call with healthcare providers today to discuss readiness for the MERS-CoV virus.
Two cases of MERS-CoV have been identified in the United States to date, both linked to recent travel to Saudi Arabia. New Jersey has had no confirmed cases, but state officials stressed that now is the time to ramp up preparations.
O’Dowd urged providers to review emergency plans, educate staff, implement drills to test plans and prepare risk communication messages.
State Epidemiologist Dr. Christina Tan reviewed guidance and resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and DOH. She also urged providers to use contact and airborne precautions in the event of a suspected case.
DOH’s Alison Gibson reviewed four areas in which providers should review policies and procedures:
- Infection control
- Occupational health, especially policies to manage employees who were potentially exposed to MERS-CoV
- Contingency plans to manage staffing levels and potential staff shortages
- Visitation policies, including public messaging if the need arises to restrict visitors.
DOH’s Tom Slater reviewed risk communication strategies, including the importance of reassuring staff, patients and the public that providers are prepared for infectious disease outbreaks and the uncertain paths they can take. He urged providers to prepare staff and public messages, gather and link to reliable information from sources like the CDC and prepare spokespeople who may need to address a MERS-CoV situation with the media.
He also reiterated the overarching precautionary message to the public: Wash your hands. Do not touch your face, eyes or nose. Stay home if you are sick.
