Who are on the Hospital Health Care Response Teams?
A. Hospital health care response teams will be comprised of, but not limited to, emergency physicians, infectious disease physicians, emergency department nurses and general nursing staff, infection control practitioners, and ancillary and security personnel. Q. What will these teams do? A. The Public Health Response Teams will be deployed to hospitals to investigate a high-risk or confirmed patient with smallpox, identify potential contacts, collect clinical specimens, and ensure safety precautions are maintained. The Hospital Health Care Response Teams will provide direct patient care and ensure that proper infection control procedures, personal protective equipment and security are available. In the event of a smallpox outbreak, these teams will help treat and contain the disease. Q. How credible is the smallpox threat to New Jersey? A. At this time, the worldwide threat is uncertain. However, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services recognizes that it is prudent to a
