Contagious Diseases

Living with others in a camp environment significantly increases the risk of spreading contagious diseases. One of the most significant impacts of modern medicine is recognizing how viral and bacterial organisms spread from human to human and limiting these pathways. Not long ago, the concept of sewer systems, clean water, and hand washing did not exist. As we learned from COVID-19, preventative measures, early detection, and isolation are key to decreasing the spread of any contagious disease.

Common contagious diseases include influenza (flu), viral upper respiratory tract infections, COVID-19, other coronaviruses, strep throat, and gastrointestinal illnesses.

Spread can be decreased by these  measures:

• Good hand washing and hygiene

• Eating, sleeping, and congregating in smaller groups

• Good rest, nutrition, and hydration

• Wearing clean clothes, taking showers if available, and cleaning vehicles with bleach wipes

• Isolating yourself if you become ill and getting medically evaluated/tested

• Keeping food and water sources away from waste and sewer systems

• Regularly sanitizing high-touch surfaces in buildings and vehicles

If you or your crewmembers start to notice signs and symptoms of a contagious disease, make sure to advise your supervisor and take steps to isolate. Consider isolating the entire crew in the work environment as much as possible, even when others are still feeling well. Utilize spike camps and remote briefings when available.

If a medical unit is available, consider an initial evaluation. This will help the incident track illness throughout the camp. This is especially important for gastrointestinal illnesses because common food, toilet, and water areas can be areas of disease transmission and must be identified early.

We all protect each other – if you are feeling ill, it is better to seek an evaluation and isolate until improved then risk infecting your crew and putting other individuals and the mission or even incident at risk.

Discussion Topics:

• What steps does your crew take when someone develops cold-like symptoms?

• How can your crew isolate from a larger camp if several members are sick? How can the healthy members continue to work?

• What is your crew’s culture regarding contagious diseases and prevention? Does your crew consider contagious disease a workplace hazard?

References:

NWCG Emergency Medical Committee

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

EMS Infectious Disease Playbook