In case you missed it: August HICPAC Public Meeting Recap

The Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) held a public meeting August 22, 2024, in Atlanta, GA. Official meeting minutes will be available on the HICPAC website soon. Until then, here is a summary of key issues from the day’s discussion.

Watch recording of the live public webcast: HICPAC Meeting – Aug. 22, 2024 (youtube.com)

Key Moments

During the meeting, the committee heard brief updates from three of HICPAC’s workgroups:

• Isolation Precautions Workgroup presented a summary update on their recent work.

• • Since the November 2023 HICPAC meeting, 7 new workgroup members have been added to bring the total to 17 members. The workgroup includes expertise in infection prevention, healthcare epidemiology, employee occupational health, aerosol science, industrial hygiene, long-term care/post-acute care. There have been 14 workgroup meetings since February 29, 2024.
  • Technical experts from CDC’s National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP) continue to assist the workgroup and join workgroup calls. An expert from NIOSH presented to the workgroup on ventilation issues in healthcare settings at one workgroup meeting.
  • An external expert from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the Department of Labor also joined one workgroup meeting to help answer questions that arose during workgroup discussions.
  • The workgroup’s goal is to present progress at the planned November 2024 HICPAC meeting.
  • Learn more about updates to the 2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions.
• Dental Unit Waterlines Workgroup presented on the update to the Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Healthcare Settings 2003, section on Dental Unit Waterlines, Biofilm and Water Quality.

• • The workgroup’s goal is to provide updated information on the maintenance and monitoring of dental unit waterlines (DUWL), biofilm, and water quality.
  • Previous recommendations are contained in CDC’s Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Healthcare Settings- 2003 and the Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care.

• Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel Workgroup presented on the update to the Guideline for Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel, 1998.

• • The workgroup’s goal is to provide updated information on Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel (HCP), Section 2, which focuses on pathogen-specific recommendations.
  • The workgroup presented updates to the section on cytomegalovirus (CMV).

Hear workgroup updates and view presentations on the recording of the live public webcast.

Other Discussions & Votes

• CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion presented to the committee a proposed updated framework to outline the types of evidence used to support guideline recommendations. This is an update to an existing HICPAC framework that was produced in 2017.
• Voting was held on the Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Draft Recommendation Updates of Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel Guideline and the Draft Updates for Selected Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHF): Appendix A, both of which have completed the public comment process through the Federal Register.
  • Both updates were approved by voting by the Committee. The next step for these documents is for them to be sent to CDC for consideration and possible formal clearance and then posted to the CDC website as CDC guidance.
  • Quorum for the meeting was reached by having 10 HICPAC members and 2 ex officio members in attendance. For a guideline or document to be approved by the committee, it must receive a yes vote by at least 8 voting members.

Public Comment

HICPAC heard public comments during the public meeting. Those unable to present their comments are encouraged to provide written comments to the HICPAC mailbox (HICPAC@CDC.gov).

Members of the public are encouraged to submit written comments about draft documents using the Federal Register process via Regulations.gov when documents are posted. As of August 2024, HICPAC does not have any draft documents for public comment in the Federal Register. When new documents are posted, the public will be notified in many ways. Written comments can also be sent to HICPAC directly by using the online form or by writing to the HICPAC mailbox (HICPAC@CDC.gov). Comments received by email or through the online form will be shared with the HICPAC members.

Stay Informed

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