Elsevier created a COVID-19 resource centre in January 2020, offering free English and Mandarin information on the virus. The centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect, and the company grants permission to make all related research freely available in PubMed Central and other repositories for research use. The CDC guidelines for isolation precautions in hospitals, first published in 1970, have been revised periodically to reflect changes in infectious disease epidemiology. The 1983 guidelines, now called a "guideline," include seven isolation categories: Strict Isolation, Contact Isolation, Respiratory Isolation, Tuberculosis (AFB) Isolation, Enteric Precautions, Drainage/Secretion Precautions, and Blood/Body Fluid Precautions. These categories are based on the mode of transmission of diseases and aim to minimize unnecessary precautions. The guideline introduces disease-specific isolation precautions as an alternative to category-specific ones, allowing hospitals to choose the system that best fits their needs. It emphasizes the importance of handwashing, the use of masks, gowns, and gloves, and proper handling of contaminated materials. The guideline also addresses the need for private rooms for highly infectious patients, the use of disposable equipment, and the proper disposal of infectious waste. The guideline outlines the rationale for isolation precautions, emphasizing the need to interrupt the chain of infection by preventing transmission through contact, vehicle, airborne, or vectorborne routes. It also outlines the responsibilities of hospital personnel and patients in following isolation precautions, and provides techniques for implementing these precautions effectively. The guideline is intended for acute-care hospitals but may also apply to other patient-care institutions. It is designed to balance ideal and practical isolation measures, and to ensure effective precautions without unnecessary restrictions. The guideline is updated as needed and encourages hospitals to modify or supplement recommendations to meet their specific needs.Elsevier created a COVID-19 resource centre in January 2020, offering free English and Mandarin information on the virus. The centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect, and the company grants permission to make all related research freely available in PubMed Central and other repositories for research use. The CDC guidelines for isolation precautions in hospitals, first published in 1970, have been revised periodically to reflect changes in infectious disease epidemiology. The 1983 guidelines, now called a "guideline," include seven isolation categories: Strict Isolation, Contact Isolation, Respiratory Isolation, Tuberculosis (AFB) Isolation, Enteric Precautions, Drainage/Secretion Precautions, and Blood/Body Fluid Precautions. These categories are based on the mode of transmission of diseases and aim to minimize unnecessary precautions. The guideline introduces disease-specific isolation precautions as an alternative to category-specific ones, allowing hospitals to choose the system that best fits their needs. It emphasizes the importance of handwashing, the use of masks, gowns, and gloves, and proper handling of contaminated materials. The guideline also addresses the need for private rooms for highly infectious patients, the use of disposable equipment, and the proper disposal of infectious waste. The guideline outlines the rationale for isolation precautions, emphasizing the need to interrupt the chain of infection by preventing transmission through contact, vehicle, airborne, or vectorborne routes. It also outlines the responsibilities of hospital personnel and patients in following isolation precautions, and provides techniques for implementing these precautions effectively. The guideline is intended for acute-care hospitals but may also apply to other patient-care institutions. It is designed to balance ideal and practical isolation measures, and to ensure effective precautions without unnecessary restrictions. The guideline is updated as needed and encourages hospitals to modify or supplement recommendations to meet their specific needs.