The Labor Department has terminated its COVID-19 infection control rulemaking for healthcare personnel, according to a Jan. 30 news release from the American Dental Association.
Here are five notes for dental professionals:
1. The end of the rulemaking will allow the agency to focus on creating a more comprehensive infectious disease standard for healthcare.
2. Steps that healthcare employers, including dentists, can take to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 include training staff and integrating multilayered interventions to prevent the spread of diseases and viruses.
3. Employers can protect their staff with steps including vaccination, testing for COVID-19, engineering controls for ventilation, personal protective equipment, physical distancing and enhanced cleaning programs.
4. The Labor Department issued an emergency temporary standard in 2021, which was intended to protect workers in healthcare settings.
5. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has always had the intention to create an infectious disease standard for healthcare workers that would replace any COVID-focused standard.