Common human coronaviruses usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold. Other human coronaviruses, such as MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV have been known to cause severe symptoms. On January 9, 2020, the World Health Organization reported that a novel coronavirus, labeled 2019-nCoV, was identified by Chinese authorities.

Featured Resources:

Helpful resources and guidance for managing the risk of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in healthcare settings include:

• CDC's Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings
• CDC's COVID-19 Module
• CDC's Information for Health Departments on Reporting Cases of COVID-19
• CDC's Response Corps to Support State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Health Departments

Infection Prevention:

CDC PPE Educational Materials: CDC has developed new Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) educational materials to be used as an aide when training healthcare personnel on selecting and correctly using, donning, doffing, and disposing of PPE to protect themselves from exposure to COVID-19 in the healthcare settings. New materials include:

• How to Safely Put On PPE Video
• How To Safely Take Off PPE Video
• How to Put On and Take Off PPE Fact Sheet
• How to Put On and Take Off PPE Poster
• PPE Illustrations

Long-Term Care Facilities:

• CDC's LTC Toolkit (login required): This toolkit is a resource for HAI/AR staff and partners to conduct rapid outreach to nursing homes and provide technical assistance as needed. The content may also be relevant for other LTC settings including assisted living facilities. The toolkit contains information about IPC practices, assessment tools, sample communications, and links to additional online content. The COVID-19 specific IPC assessment can be done in-person, remotely (via phone or video conference) or as a facility self-assessment.
• CMS' Interim Final Rule Updating Requirements for Notification of Confirmed and Suspected COVID-19 Cases Among Residents and Staff in Nursing Homes
• CDC's Testing for Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nursing Homes
• CDC's Responding to Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nursing Homes
• CDC's Coronavirus Pandemic Response: PPE Packages for Nursing Homes

As the situation evolves, please check back frequently for more information. Please also submit an resources or tools that you think might be of use to public health and healthcare partners at info@corha.org.