As developments surrounding COVID-19 rapidly evolve, it is more critical than ever to rely on trusted resources for the latest, accurate information. We recognize Kansas physicians are on the front lines of this pandemic and we intend to be available to support you however we can.
Working in conjunction with state and federal agencies and others, KMS will be distilling and disseminating information for Kansas physicians here.
KDHE Epidemiology Hotline: 1-877-427-7317 Kansas local health departments: Access directory CDC: COVID-19 information for health care personnel KDHE: COVID-19 resources for Kansas
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CDC recommends that physicians and other health care workers should consider the coronavirus if a patient is showing symptoms including fever, dry cough, and difficulty breathing. Suspected cases should be reported to your local health department (access directory) and to the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 1-877-427-7317.
CDC advises that continued COVID-19 spread in the U.S. is to be expected and recommends checking its COVID-19 updates website frequently.
→ KMS provides periodic summaries of state and federal COVID-19 developments here.
Quick Links to KDHE Resources
Individual/Families
- Toolkit for COVID-19 (this resource has been rescinded—please refer to this link for the latest KDHE resourecs amid rapidly changing circumstances)
- Family Action Plan Handout
- If You Are Sick with COVID-19
- Reduce the Spread of COVID-19
- Interim Guidance for Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in Homes and Residential Communities
Health care Facilities/Public Health Workers
- Toolkit for COVID-19
- COVID-19 Hospital Preparedness Assessment Tool
- Health care Professional Preparedness Checklist For Transport and Arrival of Patients Potentially Infected with COVID-19
- Interim Guidance for Health care Facilities: Preparing for Community Transmission of COVID-19 in Kansas
- Hand Hygiene for Residents (poster)
- Clean Hands Save Lives (poster)
Quick Links to CDC Resources
- Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Health care Settings
- Health care Infection Prevention and Control FAQs for COVID-19
- Health care Supply of Personal Protective Equipment
- What Health care Personnel Should Know about Caring for Patients with Confirmed or Possible COVID-19 Infection
- Health care Professionals: Frequently Asked Questions and Answer
- Interim Guidance for Discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions and Disposition of Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19
- Interim Guidelines for Collecting, Handling, and Testing Clinical Specimens
- Evaluating and Reporting Persons Under Investigation
Specimen Collection and Testing
COVID-19 is a notifiable condition that should be reported to your local health department immediately if either suspected or confirmed.
- FAQs on COVID-19 Testing at Laboratories (CDC 3/10/2020)
- Interim Guidelines for Collecting, Handling, and Testing Clinical Specimens from Persons Under Investigation (PUIs) for COVID-19 (CDC 3/9/2020)
- FAQs for Diagnostic Tools and Virus (CDC 3/1/2020)
- Laboratory Testing Fact Sheet for Patients (CDC 2/4/2020)
- Laboratory Testing Fact Sheet for Health Care Professionals (2/4/2020)
Clinical Care
- Interim Clinical Guidance for Management of Patients with Confirmed 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019 – nCoV) Infection (CDC 3/7/2020)
- Guidance for Infection Control Prevention Concerning Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): FAQs and Considerations for Patient Triage, Placement and Hospital Discharge (CMS 3/4/2020)
- Strategies to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 in Long-Term Care Facilities (CDC 3/1/2020)
- What Health Care Personnel Should Know about Caring for Patients with Confirmed or Possible COVID-19 Infection (CDC 2/29/2020)
- Health Care Professionals: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (CDC 2/21/2020)
- Interim Guidance for Discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions and Disposition of Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 (CDC 2/16/2020)
- Health Care Professional Preparedness Checklist For Transport and Arrival of Patients With Confirmed or Possible COVID-19 (CDC)
- COVID-19 Hospital Preparedness Assessment Tool (CDC)
Infection Control and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Shortages of PPE are global and to be expected. CDC recommends use of PPE for patients with confirmed or possible COVID-19 and for health care personnel in necessary situations but not for the general public.
- Guidance for use of Certain Industrial Respirators by Health Care Personnel (CMS 3/10/2020)
- Health Care Infection Prevention and Control FAQs for COVID-19 (CDC 3/10/2020)
- Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Confirmed COVID-19 or Persons Under Investigation for COVID-19 in Health Care Settings (CDC 3/10/2020)
- Interim U.S. Guidance for Risk Assessment and Public Health Management of Health Care Personnel with Potential Exposure in a Health Care Setting to Patients with COVID-19 (CDC 3/7/2020)
- EPA’s Registered Antimicrobial Products for Use Against SARS-CoV-2, the Cause of COVID-19 (EPA 3/3/2020)
- Strategies for Optimizing Supply of N95 Respirators (CDC 2/29/2020)
- Health Care Supply of Personal Protective Equipment (CDC 3/1/2020)
- How to properly put on, use, and remove PPE (CDC)
- Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Health Care Settings (CDC)
Home Care
- Interim Guidance for Discontinuation of In-Home Isolation for Patients with COVID-19 (CDC 2/16/2020)
- Interim Guidance for Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in Homes and Residential Communities (CDC 2/14/2020)
- Interim Guidance for Implementing Home Care of People Not Requiring Hospitalization for COVID-19 (CDC 2/12/2020)
Specialty Physicians
Obstetrics
- ACOG Practice Advisory: COVID-19
- FAQs: COVID-19 and Pregnancy (CDC 2/21/2020)
- Interim Guidance on Breastfeeding for a Mother Confirmed or Under Investigation For COVID-19 (CDC 2/19/2020)
- Interim Considerations for Infection Prevention and Control of COVID-19 in Inpatient Obstetric Health Care Settings (CDC 2/18/2020)
Pediatrics
- FAQs: COVID-19 and children (CDC 2/22/2020)
Long-Term Care
- Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention of COVID-19 in Nursing Homes (CMS 3/9/2020)
- Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility Self-Assessment Tool (CMS 3/9/2020)
- Strategies to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 in Long-Term Care Facilities (CDC 3/1/2020)
EMS
- Interim Guidance for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems and 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for COVID-19 in the US (CDC 2/15/2020)
Comprehensive resources
Kansas: www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus
United States: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
International: www.who.int/coronavirus