Are U.S. hospitals ready for the corona virus?

Federal officials say they are monitoring the virus


HHS Secretary Alex Azar recently said he has not declared a public health emergency in the United States over the virus, because risk of the virus' spread in the country is low, according to an article on the Advisory Board website.

But Azar said federal officials are monitoring the virus and "working hard to keep [Americans] safe, preparing for the possibility this could worsen."

The article quoted Betsy McCaughey, chair of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths, who wrote in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece questioned whether the preparations will be enough to contain the virus in the United States.

McCaughey argued that it's unlikely every hospital in the United States is as prepared as it should be to handle a contagion like the new coronavirus, citing research and issues with how hospitals in Canada handled the SARS outbreak in 2003.

Read the article.

 



February 4, 2020


Topic Area: Infection Control


Recent Posts

Wanted: Scientific Standard for Hospital Cleaning

No accepted criteria exist for defining a surface as clean using microbiologic methods.


NLCS Strengthens Safety and Compliance with Comprehensive Electrical Program

Case study: A renewed partnership with Siemens helps the senior living provider meet NFPA 70B standards, reduce risk, and enhance reliability across its communities.


Sun Valley Surgery Center Suffers a Data Breach

On September 3, 2025, SVSC became aware of a potential issue involving SVSC’s information systems.


EV Charging Stations: Planning for Safety, Convenience, Expansion

Managers need to ensure patient access, coordinate with clinical operations and ensure every phase of construction supports the facility's mission.


Why Ambulatory Surgery Centers Are Turning to Dedicated HVAC Systems

Design experts from Neenan Archistruction explain how single-unit HVAC systems for each operating room enhance infection control, comfort, and resiliency.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.