Rubella Screening and Immunization for IHS Employees

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
Public Health Service
Health Services Administration
Indian Health Service
Rockville, Maryland

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE CIRCULAR NO. 79-06

1. PURPOSE.  To establish the policy and procedures for assuring that Indian Health Service personnel at risk of becoming pregnant are protected from Rubella infection.

2. BACKGROUND.  Rubella infection in pregnant women can cause congenital defects in the fetus and result in serious health problems for the newborn.  The intent of this issuance is to standardize the process by which the Indian Health Service reduces the risk of hospital acquired infection in hospital staff who are at risk of becoming pregnant.

3. POLICY.  Indian Health Service Area/Program Directors will assure that all female employees who are in the child-bearing age group and who work in hospitals, health centers, health stations and other settings where they may be exposed to patients with Rubella will be offered the opportunity for (1) Rubella Screening and (2) Rubella immunization.

4. PROCEDURES.  Each Area/Program Director will develop procedures appropriate to their Service Units.  These procedures should offer every female in the child-bearing age group the opportunity for screening and immunization before the end of Fiscal 1981 and should establish procedures for offering screening and immunization to all child-bearing age group females who subsequently enter on duty.

   This Circular issuance will be updated as necessary as better epidemiologic data becomes available on the risk of Rubella infection in Hospital employees and the recommendations for preventing it.

/Joe Exendine for/
Emery A. Johnson, M.D.
Assistant Surgeon General
Director, Indian Health Service