Back to the future: Redefining "universal precautions" to include masking for all patient encounters

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2023 Sep;44(9):1373-1374. doi: 10.1017/ice.2023.2. Epub 2023 Feb 10.

Abstract

Despite recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) allowing institutions to relax in-facility masking strategies and due to our evolving understanding of respiratory pathogen transmission during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we propose an updated standard for universal precautions in healthcare settings: permanently including universal masking in routine patient-care interactions. Such a practice prioritizes safety for patients, healthcare providers (HCPs), and visitors.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Infection Control
  • Universal Precautions*