[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 38 (Monday, February 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14074-14075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03784]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Docket No. CDC-2024-0015]


Proposed Updates for Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating 
Infection Control Programs for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers, Andes Virus, 
and Nipah Virus: Appendix A

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice with comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces the opening of 
a docket to obtain comment on Draft Proposed Updates for Viral 
hemorrhagic fevers, Andes virus, and Nipah virus: Appendix A (``Draft 
Updates: Appendix A''). The updated recommendations in the Draft 
Updates: Appendix A are intended for use by frontline healthcare 
personnel, as well as infection control personnel and other persons 
responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating infection 
control programs for healthcare settings across the continuum of care.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before April 26, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2024-
0015 by either of the methods listed below. Do not submit comments by 
email. CDC does not accept comments by email.
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Mail: Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory 
Committee (HICPAC) Secretariat, Division of Healthcare Quality 
Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton 
Road NE, Mailstop H16-3, Atlanta, Georgia 30329, Attn: Docket Number 
CDC-2024-0015.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket Number. All relevant comments received will be posted 
without change to http://regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided. For access to the docket to read background 
documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Wells, Division of Healthcare 
Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 
Clifton Road NE, Mailstop H16-2, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; Telephone: 
(404) 639-4000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation

    Interested persons or organizations are invited to participate by 
submitting written views, recommendations, and data related to Draft 
Updates: Appendix A.
    Please note that comments received, including attachments and other 
supporting materials, are part of the public record and are subject to 
public disclosure. Comments will be posted on https://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, do not include any information in your 
comment or supporting materials that you consider confidential or 
inappropriate for public disclosure. If you include your name, contact 
information, or other information that identifies you in the body of 
your comments, that information will be on public display. CDC will 
review all submissions and may choose to redact, or withhold, 
submissions containing private or proprietary information such as 
Social Security numbers, medical information, inappropriate language, 
or duplicate/near duplicate examples of a mass-mail campaign. Do not 
submit comments by email. CDC does not accept comment by email.

Background

    The Draft Updates: Appendix A, located in the ``Supporting and 
Related Material'' tab of the docket, updates the recommendations in 
Appendix A of the Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing 
Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings (2007) on the 
type and duration of isolation precautions for Viral hemorrhagic 
fevers, Andes virus, and Nipah virus. The Draft Updates: Appendix A 
provides recommendations to prevent transmission, focusing primarily on 
types and durations of precautions available to frontline healthcare 
personnel. The recommendations are being updated to include additional 
viruses with potential for importation to the United States. The Draft 
Updates: Appendix A is intended for use by frontline healthcare 
personnel, as well as infection control personnel and other persons 
responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating infection 
control programs for healthcare settings across the continuum of care. 
Once the Draft Updates: Appendix A is finalized, the corresponding 
content in Appendix A of the Guideline for Isolation Precautions: 
Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings 
(2007) will be updated on the CDC

[[Page 14075]]

Infection Control website (https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/isolation/appendix/index.html).
    The updated recommendations in Draft Updates: Appendix A are 
informed by review and consideration of available literature on 
transmission principles and infection prevention and control practices 
for each virus. Draft recommendations were presented to the Healthcare 
Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC), whose feedback 
was incorporated into the finalized draft recommendations. HICPAC is a 
Federal advisory committee appointed to provide advice and guidance to 
HHS and CDC regarding the practice of infection control and strategies 
for surveillance, prevention, and control of healthcare-associated 
infections, antimicrobial resistance, and related topics in United 
States healthcare settings. HICPAC includes, but is not limited to, 
representatives with expertise in public health, infectious diseases, 
and infection prevention and control. HICPAC also includes ex officio 
members who represent regulatory and other Federal agencies and liaison 
representatives from professional societies.
    CDC is seeking comments on the Draft Updates: Appendix A. Please 
provide references to new evidence and justification to support any 
suggested revisions or additions. This Draft Updates: Appendix A is not 
a Federal rule or regulation.

Noah Aleshire,
Chief Regulatory Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2024-03784 Filed 2-23-24; 8:45 am]
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