all, commentary, scrapbook Tubb & Lang, Email Subject RE Red Dawn Rolling, April 2020: Managers wanted the CDC to help them avoid liability for worker safety. 2024-03-05 Read More 2024-03-05
![Image is an email from 2020 revealed in a FOIA request. It has a long CC list, From: Richard Tubb Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2020 8:40 AM To: William Lang Subject: Re: Red Dawn Rolling, Start April 6, 15:00 Excellent points and on target Bill. Thank you. On Apr 7, 2020, at 8:30 AM, William Lang wrote: I’m getting a number of questions from organizations about this section from CDC guidance on facility cleaning. Some parts seem internally inconsistent and others at odds with what we have been telling people. I would appreciate any feedback on below concerns. Of note, feedback from the organizations I’m working with shows this is one of the most commonly referred to sections in CDC guidance: From: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/cleaning-disinfection.html “There is much to learn about the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Based on what is currently known about the virus and about similar coronaviruses that cause SARS and MERS, spread from person-to-person happens most frequently among close contacts (within about 6 feet). This type of transmission occurs via respiratory droplets, but disease transmission via infectious aerosols is currently uncertain. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to persons from surfaces contaminated with the virus has not been documented. Transmission of coronavirus in general occurs much more commonly through respiratory droplets than through fomites. Current evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in community settings. “It is unknown how long the air inside a room occupied by someone with confirmed COVID-19 remains potentially infectious. Facilities will need to consider factors such as the size of the room and the ventilation system design (including flowrate [air changes per hour] and location of supply and exhaust vents) when deciding how long to close off rooms or areas used by ill persons before beginning disinfection. Taking measures to improve ventilation in an area or room where someone was ilor suspected to be ill with COVID-19 wil help shorten the time it takes respiratory droplets to be removed from the air.” Issues: * “transmission via infectious aerosols is currently uncertain.” Everything I’ve seen has says that this is not likely. RNA can be retrieved from aerosols, but infection via this route is only of concern in highly aerosol generating environments (such as intubating someone and being right in their face as the aerosol is generated). This sentence is generating significant concern in organization management. Would it not be more correct to say “transmission via infectious aerosols may happen in limited circumstances (primarily healthcare), but is not thought to be a significant type of transmission in typical public areas” « “Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to persons from surfaces contaminated with the virus has not been documented.” What??? Isn’t this felt to be one of the most common means of transmission? The question Iget on this is“Why are we bothering with facility cleaning/disinfection programs?” Especially when followed up by the last sentence in that paragraph that only refers to cleaning of “visibly dirty surfaces.” * “It is unknown how long the air inside a room occupied by someone with confirmed COVID-19 remains potentially infectious.” (and the whole ensuing paragraph). Managers are reading this and freaking out. We’ve been telling people that this virus is not infectiously airborne beyond 6’ and this paragraph undercuts that concept. Messaging needs to be consistent. I understand that the writers are trying to cover their butts, but these blanket statements are confusing organizations that are trying to manage safety for their employees and, importantly, liability issues. Lawyer to employer: “CDC said right here [this paragraph] that the virus is airborne and potentially infectious for an unknown period of time and you did not put everyone in the space in N95 masks? Obviously you were negligent.” -Bill Lang William L. Lang, MD, MHA Medical Director WorldClinic | Continuous Connected Care tel: | fax: direct (admin and non-urgent patient care)](https://wat3rm370n.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/image-10.png)
