NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

The United States has tightened guidelines for health workers treating patients with the Ebola virus, calling for new competency training, a buddy system for donning and doffing personal protective equipment, and total coverage of eyes, hair and skin.

The stricter protocols, issued Monday evening by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), build on earlier guidance from the World Health Organization. The WHO has advised health workers to wear masks, but did not require complete coverage of skin.

The developments come in the wake of at least three reported cases of Ebola in the United States. The virus has plagued West Africa, especially the countries countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, infecting more than 9,200 and killing more than 4,500.