The CDC has always provided alerts about outbreaks of infections that occur ; however , we must be cognizant in our communities of individuals migrating from countries where there has been no access to vaccines or drugs to treat and prevent infections .”
• The U . S . Public Health Service and Centers for Disease Control ’ s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine should have personnel trained in the detection and containment of infectious disease stationed at every official port of entry .
For now , surveillance is key , SHEA ’ s Trini Mathew emphasizes . “ The CDC has always provided alerts about outbreaks of infections that occur ; however , we must be cognizant in our communities of individuals migrating from countries where there has been no access to vaccines or drugs to treat and prevent infections ,” she says . “ These could also be infections that we don ’ t usually see in the U . S .; that means clinicians may miss clinical diagnosis because they did not recognize specific signs and symptoms . We must also make sure individuals are brought up to date with vaccinations as a safeguard to avoid infections and transmission due to missed diagnosis .”
A great deal of attention has been given to climbing rates of healthcare-associated infections ( HAIs ) during the COVID-19 pandemic , as documented by Weiner-Lastinger , et al . ( 2021 ). Mathew emphasizes that along with immigration-related public health matters , “ We also must be cognizant that there is what I call this ‘ hidden tsunami ’ of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens that is compounded by COVID-19 . Even pre-pandemic , infectious disease experts were worried about the antibiotics dispensed and the antimicrobials used , and HAIs on the rise . The sky is not falling , but we can do better by chipping away at the problem little by little and returning to our best practices for infection prevention and public health .”
Evidence-based interventions such as vaccination , proper use of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) and hygiene are as important as ever , Mathew says .
“ One of the key aspects of public health and occupational health is vaccination , not just for COVID-19 , but for all other vaccine-preventable diseases ,” she says . “ A robust uptake of immunization will help our communities stay safe , not just among the migrant and evacuee populations , but also within our own communities .”
Using barrier protection takes on new importance when considering potential cases of TB and measles coming into healthcare institutions .
“ I think we are in much better shape than we were in early 2020 regarding resources such as PPE ,” Mathew says . “ It ’ s important to note that PPE utilization also helps us with other infections and airborne diseases such as tuberculosis and measles . It is crucial for healthcare personnel to utilize PPE correctly . If we don ’ t have the right fit and impermeable seal for an N95 respirator and we enter a room of a TB patient , we are not fully protecting ourselves as we could with the right fit-check . We realized the importance of donning PPE the right way during the COVID-19 pandemic . Now , we have increased the knowledge among healthcare personnel regarding airborne diseases , including tuberculosis and measles . Wearing a mask helps , not just with COVID-19 but other infections , including influenza . This is critical , especially as we are entering respiratory illness season in the U . S . One thing we ’ ve learned in public health is the only thing predictable about influenza is that it ’ s unpredictable . So , getting vaccinated against influenza is critical , as well as handwashing . These are all measures that we can take to prevent community-based transmission of any of these infections . If we can decrease community-based transmission , then there will be less of a burden in healthcare settings . I am more confident that healthcare systems are now able to work through PPE requirements to address any outbreaks related to airborne transmission , provided we maintain a state of readiness and are always looking out for potential signals of illness and potential outbreaks . Again , I encourage clinicians to think about the diseases that we don ’ t routinely see in the U . S . and even though we may still be focused on COVID-19 , there are many other infections we must think about to provide timely and effective care .”
References :
CDC Health Alert Network . Guidance for Clinicians Caring for Individuals Recently Evacuated from Afghanistan ( CDCHAN-00452 ). Sept . 20 , 2021 .
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases ( NCEZID ), Division of Global Migration and Quarantine ( DGMQ ).
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Federation for American Immigration Reform ( FAIR ). Whitepaper : Could Uncontrolled Immigration Expose Us to a Public Health Crisis ? 2017 .
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IDweek . Conference Highlights : IDWeek 2021 . IDSA , SHEA and PIDS Issue Statement on Caring for Individuals Returning and Evacuated from Afghanistan . October 2021 .
Illingworth P and Parmet WE . The Health of Newcomers : Immigration , Health Policy , and the Case for Global Solidarity . NYU Press . January 2017 .
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