Are there any health care workers who may not work following vaccination? Any limits on health care workers providing care to immunosuppressed patients?
The ACIP has stated that furlough of health care workers is not necessary. Those health care workers who have direct patient contact, should have a semipermeable dressing over the dry gauze pad, with a long sleeve shirt and a lab coat. This should be sufficient to prevent any transmission. In addition, they are to have their dressing checked and replaced while at work. They should be reminded that vigorous hand-washing hygiene should be exercised. The Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) has deliberated infection control recommendations related to vaccinia. The recommendations were summarized and disseminated in the form of an MMWR supplement — Recommendations for Using Smallpox Vaccine in a Pre-Event Vaccination Program, which was published Feb.26, 2003, on the CDC Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/m2d226.htm. To date there have been no healthcare provider vaccinia transmission to patients in wither the civilian or military vaccination
