--- title: CDC Recommends Full Coverage for Personal Protective Equipment description: Now recommending full-coverage for health care workers canonical: https://time.com/3525869/cdc-changes-ebola-guidelines/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-10-20T23:57:06.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:00:26.400Z article:section: Health og:title: CDC Recommends Full Coverage for Personal Protective Equipment og:description: Now recommending full-coverage for health care workers og:url: https://time.com/3525869/cdc-changes-ebola-guidelines/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta44242f4fbbac3a7/698761e435ba6f9520c0491a/ebola-bodysuit.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2100 og:image:height: 1181 og:image:alt: CDC EBOLA TRAINING og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: CDC Recommends Full Coverage for Personal Protective Equipment twitter:description: Now recommending full-coverage for health care workers twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta44242f4fbbac3a7/698761e435ba6f9520c0491a/ebola-bodysuit.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # CDC Changes Ebola Guidelines > Sponsored content. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's daily health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free daily newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ## Video: Fear and Ignorance Spread Ebola [Watch (HLS stream): Fear and Ignorance Spread Ebola](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/KlA2XSgt.m3u8) (1:52)  _Published 2014-08-26. While the Ebola virus remains contained to West Africa, deadly fear and ignorance about the illness have spread worldwide._ by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Oct 20, 2014 11:57 PM UTC  Licensed clinician Hala Fawal practices drawing blood from a patient using a dummy on Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in Anniston, Ala. Licensed clinician Hala Fawal practices drawing blood from a patient using a dummy on Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, in Anniston, Ala. Brynn Anderson—AP by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Oct 20, 2014 11:57 PM UTC Health care workers treating Ebola patients must now wear full-body coverage suits with no skin showing and must undergo significant training prior to treating patients, U.S. health officials said Monday. “We may never know exactly how \[the Dallas infections happened\], but the bottom line is the guidelines didn’t work for that hospital,” Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said during a news conference announcing the new guidelines for caring for Ebola patients and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). Prior to the three Ebola infections in Dallas, including two health care workers, the CDC did not recommend full body coverage for Ebola, but instead recommended at least gloves, a gown, eye protection and a face mask. That has changed, in light of the two health care worker infections at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. The new guidelines have three additions: 1\. Prior to working with Ebola patients, health care workers must be repeatedly trained and demonstrate competency in treating a patient with Ebola, especially putting on and taking off PPE. “Facilities need to ensure all healthcare providers practice numerous times to make sure they understand how to appropriately use the equipment,” the CDC said in a statement. 2\. When wearing PPE, no skin can be exposed. The CDC is providing two options for the PPEs, since the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Emory University Hospital, which have both successfully treated Ebola patients, use different versions. Googles are no longer recommended. The recommendations for PPE are now the following: * Double gloves * Boot covers that are waterproof and go to at least mid-calf or leg covers * Single use fluid resistant or imperable gown that extends to at least mid-calf **_or_** coverall without intergraded hood. * Respirators, including either N95 respirators or powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) * Single-use, full-face shield that is disposable * Surgical hoods to ensure complete coverage of the head and neck * Apron that is waterproof and covers the torso to the level of the mid-calf should be used if Ebola patients have vomiting or diarrhea 3\. Every step of putting on and taking off PPE must be supervised by a trained observer. There should also be designated areas for where PPE are taken on and off. “It’s hard to care for Ebola, so every aspect… needs to be overseen,” said Frieden in the press conference, adding that hospitals should limit personnel in health care rooms and should limit procedures to only those that are essential. The CDC is increasing health care worker training across the country as well as sending out training videos, but Frieden argues that there is no alternative for hands-on training, especially taking on and off PPEs. “We agree with the concern of health care workers,” said Frieden citing anxiety from health care workers nationwide that they felt unprepared for treating patients with Ebola. The new recommendations will be effective immediately, though the CDC does not have the regulatory authority to make hospitals follow the guidelines, Frieden said. The recommendations should be available online later Monday evening. Earlier on Monday, a Dallas County Judge confirmed that 43 of 48 contacts of Thomas Eric Duncan were considered no longer at risk after the 21-day incubation period passed, and [Nigeria was declared Ebola-free](http://time.com/3522984/ebola-nigeria-who/). ## Transcript Between August 19th and August 20th, WHO reported 142 new cases of Ebola and 77 new deaths. Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo claims that two people died from what is believed to be a different strain of the virus over the weekend. While Ebola may be lethal, fear and ignorance are the more silent. Killers and the kind outbreak in West Africa. [ FOREIGN ] Some airlines in shipping companies have stopped service to West Africa all together causing supply shortages and worsening conditions in all effected areas. The government of Seira Leon, Liberia, and Geanie have implemented quarantines on major cities with infected residence further isolating. Isolating the victims from help. [ INAUDIBLE ] I beg you please. You [ INAUDIBLE ] Patients can't get to the doctors and many doctors aren't going to the patients. Fear of infection by health workers who live abroad and the limited expertise of local practitioners has limited the number of doctors willing and able to treat [ MUSIC ] There's some good news however, both American patients being treated for Ebola were released on August 21st fully recovered from the disease. I'm thrilled to be alive, to be well, and to be reunited with my family. Despite scares in Germany, the U. S ., Saudi Arabia, Spain ,. France, U. K ., and Thailand. No cases have been confirmed outside of Nigeria, Sierra Leon, Guinea and Liberia. And while the rest of the world maybe thinking about closing off their borders, they are opening up their wallets. China has donated $ 4. 9 million. The U. K. $ 8 million. The E. U. and the U. S. are in for 15. 8 million each. The African Development. [ INAUDIBLE ] Bank is contributing a whopping 56 million dollars. The W. H. 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