Implementing Universal Use of Eye Protection When Community Transmission of COVID-19 is High or Substantial

2.16.2022

Implementing Universal Use of Eye Protection When Community Transmission of COVID-19 is High or Substantial

The level of community transmission of COVID-19 directs the personal protective equipment (PPE) recommendations for individual health care workers (HCWs). The CDC COVID Data Tracker should be used to assess the level of community transmission CDC COVID Data Tracker.

HCWs working in facilities located in counties with substantial to high community transmission are more likely to encounter asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic residents with SARS-CoV-2 infection. HCWs working in counties with substantial or high transmission should wear eye protection (i.e., goggles or a face shield that covers the front and sides of the face) during all resident encounters.

MDH recommendations:

• Health care facilities should have policies and procedures regarding universal use of eye protection. The facility should define resident care encounters internally and educate staff on use of universal eye protection.
• A process should be in place regarding proper storage, use, cleaning and disinfection for eye protection. See CDC recommendations below: Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of Eye Protection: COVID-19 | CDC
  • Extended use of eye protection is the practice of wearing the same eye protection for repeated close contact encounters with several different patients, without removing eye protection[HT(1]  between patient encounters. Extended use of eye protection can be applied to disposable and reusable devices.
  • In areas of substantial to high transmission in which HCW are using eye protection for all patient encounters, extended use of eye protection may be considered as a conventional capacity strategy.
  • Eye protection should be removed, cleaned, and disinfected if it becomes visibly soiled or difficult to see through.
  • If a disposable face shield or goggles is cleaned and disinfected, it should be dedicated to one HCW and cleaned and disinfected whenever it is visibly soiled or removed (e.g., when leaving the isolation area) prior to putting it back on. See protocol for removing and cleaning and disinfecting eye protection below.
  • Eye protection should be discarded if damaged (e.g., face shield or goggles can no longer fasten securely to the provider, if visibility is obscured and cleaning and disinfecting does not restore visibility).
  • HCW should take care not to touch their eye protection. If they touch or adjust their eye protection, they must immediately perform hand hygiene.
  • HCW should leave patient care area if they need to remove their eye protection. See protocol for removing, cleaning, and disinfecting eye protection below.
  • Health care workers (HCW) should continue to follow the appropriate PPE guidance related to isolation and quarantine, aerosol-generating procedures (AGP), transmission-based precautions, and standard precautions.
• Facilities may choose to also assess community transmission rates for the county or counties where their workforce lives, if different than the facility’s county (e.g., a large proportion of a facility’s workforce resides in a neighboring county).
• Facilities may choose to continue universal eye protection based on level of risk to the HCW (e.g., working with population with low vaccination rate, high patient turnover/presentation with respiratory illnesses).
• Core principles of infection prevention and control should also be in place (e.g., use of respiratory protection, hand hygiene, physical distancing, and environmental cleaning and disinfection).

An educational module for staff regarding eye protection can be found on Project Firstline Training and Resources - Minnesota Dept. of Health (state.mn.us)

The Minnesota Department of Health’s COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment and Source Control Grids for congregate care settings (including nursing facilities and assisted living facilities) can be found here: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/HCW/ppegrid.pdf.

 

Note: Area in italics is all direct CDC language.

• Universal.Eye Protection.2.18.22.docx