Isolation & Quarantine
Measures in Response to a Smallpox Emergency
Engineering
Controls
Isolation
Rooms
Rooms used for
isolation should be at a negative air pressure when compared to
the hall or other adjoining areas. Current standards in the United
States for isolation rooms require that there be at least 6-12
air changes/hour and that the air not be re-circulated to other
rooms but that it be vented to the outside away from air intake
vents or people traffic areas, or be filtered through high efficiency
particulate air filtration systems. (Similar to isolation requirements
for varicella, measles and TB.)
Testing Negative
Pressure
Important to
frequently test negative pressure rooms to confirm they are working
correctly. Automatic airflow monitors can be wrong so simple smoke
tube testing is useful. Test area around door and any vents around
door that should have air moving into the room but not out of the
room. Remember to keep doors to isolation rooms closed when not
in use to enter or leave room!
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