
A CDC advisory committee has been working to update a set of updated CDC infection control guidelines since August 2023. The agency has faced criticism from clinicians for suggesting that surgical masks are as effective as N95 respirators. Last November, the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) voted to finalize a draft of the guidance recommending that healthcare workers wear masks during routine care to prevent the spread of viruses such as flu and COVID-19.
National Nurses United (NNU), the nation’s largest nursing union, strongly opposed the draft, arguing that surgical and medical masks are not technically considered PPE. The draft guidance states that healthcare workers “may choose to voluntarily” wear an N95, which the union believes shifts responsibility to the individual worker instead of the employer. A January survey revealed that many hospital nurses lack regular access to N95s or other respirators, and the NNU warns that this issue could worsen if the guidance doesn’t firmly recommend the use of respirators.
In May, the CDC invited representatives from NNU and the New York State Nurses Association to join the advisory committee. The committee is now in Stage 3 of a six-stage process to update the updated CDC infection control guidelines. Once the CDC reviews and approves the revised guidance, it will be published in the Federal Register for a 60-day public comment period. Based on feedback, further revisions may be made. Although the initial timeline aimed for finalization in 2024, the process will likely extend through at least the first half of 2025.
Stay well and stay informed!