Infection prevention and control during health care when coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is suspected or confirmed
Interim guidance
Overview
This document provides interim guidance on infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies during health care when coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is suspected or confirmed. It is intended for health workers, including health-care managers and IPC teams at the facility level, but it is also relevant for the national and district/provincial levels. In this updated version, the scope and structure of the earlier guidance have been expanded with several new or revised sections, including implications of variants of concern and vaccination for IPC practices.
This document is an update of a guidance published on 12 July 2021, after the review of new scientific evidence on transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC). It contains updated recommendations on the use of masks and respirators for health workers providing care to suspected or confirmed COVID-19.