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This guidance specifies the infection prevention and control actions to be taken by both the health worker who is assisting with expressing and handling EBM; and the mother who is expressing breastmilk.

These steps are in addition to facility guidelines about routine expressing, handling and storage of breastmilk.

Note: Wipe any contacted/contaminated surfaces and shared equipment with detergent and/or  disinfectant wipes as soon as possible after use.

Mother at home or in hospital

1. Expressing breastmilk
• Hand hygiene and mask
2. Breastmilk container
• Label container when finished expressing
• Wipe outside of container with detergent solution only
3. Handling EBM
• Remove mask, hand hygiene
• Place container into a bag
4. Transporting EBM
• Place bag into cooler bag for transporting to hospital*
5. Receiving EBM at hospital
• EBM transferred to health worker

Health worker

1. Expressing breastmilk
• Transmission-based precautions when assisting the mother
2. Breastmilk container
• Label container when finished expressing
• Wipe outside of container with detergent solution
3. Handling EBM
• Remove PPE when leaving mother’s room, hand hygiene
• Replace gloves
• Place container in a bag
4. Transporting EBM
• Transport to the nursery or appropriate fridge
5. Receiving EBM at hospital
• Standard precautions-
• Remove bag from cooler
• Check label
• Place into a second labelled bag using non-touch technique
6. Storing EBM at hospital
• Adhere to local procedures
7. Decanting EBM
• Use standard precautions and adhere to local procedures

*The person collecting the EBM should maintain a physical distance of at least 1.5 metres from the COVID-19 positive woman and use a non-touch technique when the bagged containers of EBM are transferred into a cooler-bag.