Public health: pandemic protocols.

Existing law provides for the licensure of health facilities by the State Department of Public Health. Existing law requires a health facility to comply with specified infection control protocols, including reporting specified infections to the department and having a health facility infection control officer or their designee available 24 hours per day. A violation of the licensing requirements for health facilities is a crime. This bill would require a health facility to limit the possible introduction of the pathogen, infection, or illness that is the subject of a declared pandemic or health-related state of emergency or local emergency into the facility by indefinitely postponing routine medical appointments and prohibiting visitor access, as specified. The bill would also require a health facility to institute universal precautions based on scientific evidence and universal source control procedures to reduce potential for transmission of the pathogen, infection, or illness within the whole facility by implementing specified protocols, including establishing a contaminated zone, a potentially contaminated zone, and a clean zone, with separate passageways from each zone. Because a violation of the bill's provisions would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.