The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will provide interim guidance to clinicians regarding the coronavirus outbreak during a webinar at 2 p.m. EST Jan. 31.
A new coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, has led to thousands of cases of respiratory illness in China, and infections have begun to appear in other countries as well, most of them associated with travel from Wuhan, China, where the coronavirus was first detected, according to the CDC. As of Jan. 29, there are five confirmed U.S. cases in Arizona, California, Illinois and Washington, as well as 92 others that are awaiting specimen testing.
During the Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity Call on the topic "Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) –– Interim Guidance for Clinicians," participants will learn about the current epidemiology, infection control and prevention recommendations, specimen collection and testing, and clinical management for patients with 2019-nCov infection.
There is currently no vaccine to prevent 2019-nCoV infection, but the CDC recommends standard precautions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after contact with patients or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available; avoiding touching the eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; staying home when sick; covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash; and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Instructions for joining the webinar are on the CDC website. Participants should register for the webinar in advance. An on-demand version of the call also will be available online after the live event.
To learn more about the coronavirus, visit the CDC website. For more information on infection controls in dentistry, go to the ADA’s Oral Health Topics page on infection control and sterilization.