In a January-to-June 2026 drill, actors posing as patients visited 73 healthcare facilities across New York City, New York suburbs, New Jersey, and the US Virgin Islands. Of the 73 sites, only 60 percent both masked and isolated the patient actors. Emergency departments showed the lowest compliance at 55 percent, while outpatient clinics and urgent cares passed at 68 percent and 67 percent, respectively.
A significant 18 percent of facilities failed to provide masks to coughing patients reporting fevers. Even among those who masked and isolated, only 43 percent completed the process within the one-minute goal, and less than half (48 percent) moved patients to isolation rooms within 10 minutes. Outpatient clinics had a median isolation time of 20 minutes, with some taking nearly an hour.
While 93 percent of facilities screened actors for symptoms, only seven asked about specific bird flu exposure. Clinician PPE use was inconsistent, with only 25 percent wearing all recommended gear and 6 percent wearing none. Furthermore, only 55 percent of facilities notified internal Infection Prevention and Control staff as recommended.
Experts warn that waiting areas become high-risk settings for respiratory virus transmission when infection control measures are lacking. The poor pass rates may overestimate actual preparedness, as some facilities declined participation, and unannounced drills may have been preceded by facility heads-ups.
Source: Ars Technica · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing