Ebola information from PHSA

2014/10/16

Ebola information from PHSA

If you work for another health authority, please refer to their procedures.

It has been six months since the outbreak of Ebola was declared in Western Africa. To date, there have been no confirmed cases of Ebola in Canada, and the risk to the Canadian general public is very low. Health care workers in Canada, however, could be required to care for a patient with Ebola if a traveller or medical volunteer returning from one of the affected countries presents with symptoms.

PHSA Workplace Health has prepared an Ebola FAQ document that provides a high level overview of Ebola, and what to do if you are exposed to Ebola in the workplace. All employees who care for an Ebola patient will be instructed on how to protect themselves and how to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of Ebola during and for 21 days after they last worked with the patient.

Please follow your agency’s Infection Control Practice manual for detailed instructions on safety and exposure prevention. If you are caring for a patient with suspected or confirmed Ebola, you must practice rigorous standard, contact, and droplet precautions. You will be required to wear gloves, an impermeable gown, face mask, and eye protection. Ebola is not transmitted through the air or through food and water. Step by step procedures for donning and doffing your personal protective equipment must be followed to prevent an exposure. If a breach in infection control practices occurs, you must immediately self-isolate and email PHSA Occupational Health at occupationalhealthnursing@phsa.ca who will put you in contact with the appropriate Medical Health Officer to receive active follow up for 21 days.

Employees who have been travelling and/or volunteering in Western Africa will be required to report to your physician, who will report to the appropriate Medical Health Officer, and self-monitor for signs and symptoms of Ebola for 21 days. If a known breach in infection control practices occurred during contact with an Ebola patient while abroad, the employee must not return to work. You must self-isolate immediately upon arrival from Western Africa, call your health care provider and email PHSA Occupational Health at occupationalhealthnursing@phsa.ca, who will then liaise with a Medical Health Officer. If there has not been a breach in infection control practices, you may return to work.

Please take a moment to read through PHSA Ebola FAQ document and consult the following web sites for up to date expert advice on Ebola for Health Care Workers for more details:

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