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Universal Precautions: For Droplet or Airborne Pathogens

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During air- or droplet-borne disease outbreaks such as COVID, harm reduction staff or volunteers are required to follow all normal universal precautions and wipe down all surfaces used by more than one person, including pens, clipboards, chairs, desks, cabinet fronts, floors, doors, steering wheels, and so on, at the beginning and end of each shift with a broad spectrum anti-microbial surface cleaner.

Masks, Goggles, and Attire for Droplet or Airborne Pathogens

During an outbreak of air- or droplet-borne disease, harm reduction workers are required to wear N95 masks during harm reduction shifts, and cloth or other masks at most other times. In addition, harm reduction workers may also be required to wear goggles during harm reduction shifts and, under unique circumstances, harm reduction workers may also be required to wear paper gowns or lab coats to protect themselves.

Featured Hacks

These featured hacks highlight creative, practical solutions from harm reduction leaders on the ground. From DIY tools to clever workarounds, each one reflects the ingenuity, care, and real-world experience that keeps this movement alive. 

Hacks for Empathetic Active Listening

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Once you have grounded yourself during an escalated situation, next engage in active listening with the person who is agitated. This can seem counterintuitive or difficult when you are dealing with somebody who is, for example, screaming at you, and it may feel like you’re rewarding them for being completely irrational. But it is key to getting them more centered and grounded so they’re less agitated and less likely to become a danger to themselves or others.
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Edie Springer’s Worker Stances for Clients Who Use Drugs & Harm Reduction Worker: Best Practices

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Harm reduction immediately resonated for Edie, who was herself a former drug user and methadone patient. Faced with the devastation of HIV’s impact on drug-using communities, Edie fully embraced harm reduction and trained hundreds of harm reduction workers who have carried her legacy with them. She developed these worker stances in 1996 and they have been shared among many of us in the harm reduction community for generations.
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