Ariz. Admin. Code § 9-10-121

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 45, November 8, 2024

Section R9-10-121 - Disease Prevention and Control

A. This Section applies:

1. When the Governor has declared a state of emergency, as defined in A.R.S. § 26-301, to address a situation described under A.R.S. § 36-787; and

2. To health care institutions licensed under Article 4, 5, or 8 of this Chapter.

B. The following definitions apply in this Section:

1. "Communicable disease" has the same meaning as in A.A.C. R9-6-101.

2. "Infection" has the same meaning as in A.A.C. R9-6-101.

3. "Respiratory symptoms" means coughing, shortness of breath, or wheezing not known to be caused by asthma or another chronic lung-related disease.

C. An administrator or manager, as applicable, shall ensure that policies and procedures are established, documented, and implemented, to protect the health and safety of a resident, that:

1. Cover screening and triage of personnel members, employees, visitors, and, except as provided in subsection (E), any other individuals entering the facility;

2. Cover the manner and frequency of assessing residents to determine a change in a resident's medical condition;

3. Establish disinfection protocols and schedules for frequently touched surfaces; and

4. Specify requirements for distancing residents who exhibit symptoms of a communicable disease from other residents to reduce the chance for infection of another individual.

D. An administrator or manager, as applicable, shall ensure that:

1. Except as provided in subsection (E), before entering the facility, each individual, including a personnel member, employee, or visitor, is screened for fever or respiratory symptoms indicative of a communicable disease;

2. If an individual refuses to be screened, the individual is excluded from entry to the facility;

3. If an individual is determined to have a fever or respiratory symptoms, the individual is excluded from entry to the facility until symptoms have resolved or the individual has been evaluated and cleared by a medical practitioner;

4. If an individual, other than a resident, develops a fever or respiratory symptoms while in the facility, the individual is required to leave the facility and not return until symptoms have resolved or the individual has been evaluated and cleared by a medical practitioner; and

5. If insufficient personnel members are available to meet the needs of all residents in the facility, the administrator or manager, as applicable, implements the disaster plan required in R9-10-424, R9-10-523, or R9-10-818, as applicable, which may include moving a resident to a different facility.

E. An administrator or manager, as applicable, may allow an emergency medical care technician, as defined in A.R.S. § 36-2201, to enter the facility without screening if the emergency medical care technician is responding to a call for providing emergency medical services, as defined in A.R.S. § 36-2201, to a resident or other individual in the facility.

F. An administrator or manager, as applicable, shall ensure that:

1. An assessment of a resident includes whether the resident has a fever or respiratory symptoms indicative of a communicable disease and is documented in the resident's medical record; and

2. If a resident is found to have a fever or respiratory symptoms indicative of a communicable disease:

a. The resident is evaluated by a medical practitioner within 24 hours to determine what services need to be provided to the resident and what precautions need to be taken by the facility, and the evaluation is documented in the resident's medical record;

b. To reduce the chance for infection of another individual, the resident is:

i. Kept at a distance of at least six feet from other residents; or

ii. If not possible to keep the resident at a distance from other residents, required to wear a facemask;

c. A personnel member:

i. Takes precautions, which may include the use of gloves and a facemask or other personal protection equipment, while providing services to the resident; and

ii. Removes and, if applicable, disposes of the personal protection equipment and washes the personnel member's hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or, if soap and water are not available, uses a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol immediately after providing services to the resident and before providing services to another resident;

d. Linens, dishes, utensils, and other items used by the resident are:

i. Kept separate from similar items used by a resident who does not have a fever or respiratory symptoms indicative of a communicable disease, and

ii. Disinfected or disposed of in a manner to reduce the chance for infection of another individual; and

e. Surfaces touched by the resident are disinfected before another individual touches the surface.

G. An administrator or manager, as applicable, shall ensure that door handles, tables, chair backs and arm rests, light switches, and other frequently touched surfaces are cleaned and disinfected, according to policies and procedures, with:

1. An alcohol solution containing at least 70% alcohol;

2. A bleach solution containing four teaspoons of bleach per quart of water; or

3. An EPA-approved household disinfectant specified in a list, which is incorporated by reference, available at https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2-covid-19, and does not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-10-121

Amended effective February 4, 1981 (Supp. 81-1). Section repealed by final rulemaking at 8 A.A.R. 3559, effective August 1, 2002 (Supp. 02-3). Adopted by emergency rulemaking at 26 A.A.R. 509, effective 3/16/2020. Amended by final rulemaking at 26 A.A.R. 2793, effective 10/7/2020.