Monkeypox Guidance for Workers and Employers Available from CDC

A new CDC toolkit provides information for both workers and employers on preventing monkeypox at work. Information for employers includes basics about monkeypox vaccination, isolation and prevention practices for people with monkeypox, monitoring and risk assessment for workers who have been exposed, and disinfection practices. For workers, the CDC toolkit includes information on the signs and symptoms of monkeypox, how the disease spreads, and how workers can protect themselves and prevent spread to others.

Additional resources in the toolkit include site-specific guidance for workers in healthcare facilities, those who perform autopsies and handle human remains, laboratory personnel, veterinarians, and schools.

According to CDC, there is currently a low risk of monkeypox spreading in workplaces. The latest agency data indicate that as of Oct. 5 there have been approximately 26,300 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the United States and two deaths. Worldwide, the number of confirmed cases exceeds 70,400, with the vast majority in places that have not historically reported monkeypox, and 27 deaths.