New Cross-Infection Control Guidelines

From the CFF...

We are writing to let you know that the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation recently implemented a new infection prevention and control policy for all Foundation events, meetings and offices to protect the health of people with CF. We took this step based on increasing medical evidence that the risk of people with CF spreading destructive germs to one another is greater than was previously thought. Our new policy reflects the advice of leading medical experts on this subject.

The health and well-being of people with CF is our topmost concern — it is at the heart of all we do. We have long had infection control guidelines in place to promote the safety of people with CF. With this new policy, we are acting proactively and immediately to reduce the risk of cross-infection among people with CF. 

The key elements of the Foundation’s new policy are: 

• At any CF Foundation-sponsored indoor event or meeting, including gatherings like committee meetings, only oneperson with CF may be present and he or she will be designated in close consultation with event chairs and key event volunteers.
  
• At Foundation-sponsored outdoor events or gatherings, people with CF need to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from each other.
  
• Under no circumstances shall individuals who have ever had a confirmed positive sputum culture for Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia) complex attend any CF Foundation events, meetings or offices.  

We understand that these changes are disheartening and difficult for many in our community. Among the many burdens of CF is that of social isolation. We also recognize the unique challenges that our new policy poses to adults with CF, whose full engagement is vital to helping us better serve the entire CF community. The Foundation embraces and owes so much of its success to the active participation of people with CF in all our activities, from major fundraising and advocacy campaigns to informal meetings in chapter offices.

Fortunately, there are alternative ways we can make Foundation events more accessible to people with CF. We are expanding our use of teleconferencing and live videocasts so people can take part in group activities remotely. We are also exploring other new technologies to help us engage people with CF more creatively and draw on their talents and experiences to strengthen our collective efforts.

You can find more information about our new policy, including FAQs, in a new section on the Foundation’s website:http://www.cff.org/aboutCFFoundation/InfectionPreventionControlPolicy/. We will follow up with more information and resources as we implement these changes.

We are confident that, with the right tools and in a spirit of partnership, the Foundation will be able to put our new policy into practice successfully. Thank you for your help as we take this important step.