What are the recommended vaccination and prophylaxis strategies for healthcare workers at risk of exposure to Ebola Virus Disease?

Recommended vaccination and prophylaxis strategies for healthcare workers at risk of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) focus primarily on pre-exposure vaccination and strict infection control measures. Healthcare workers in high-risk settings should receive the licensed recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus–Zaire Ebola virus (rVSV-ZEBOV) vaccine to provide immunity before potential exposure, as part of emergency response protocols ⁶ (Walldorf et al., 2019). This vaccine has demonstrated efficacy in outbreak settings and is recommended for frontline workers in endemic or outbreak areas.

In addition to vaccination, rigorous adherence to personal protective equipment (PPE) use and infection prevention and control (IPC) practices is essential to minimize transmission risk. This includes standard, contact, and droplet precautions, with airborne precautions during aerosol-generating procedures ⁶.

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is not routinely recommended but may be considered in specific high-risk exposures under expert guidance. Currently, no licensed antiviral PEP exists, but investigational therapeutics and monoclonal antibodies are under evaluation (Walldorf et al., 2019). Therefore, the primary strategy remains vaccination combined with IPC measures.

Regular training and preparedness drills for healthcare workers are critical to ensure proper vaccine administration, PPE use, and rapid response to potential exposures. This integrated approach aligns with UK infection control guidelines and emerging evidence from outbreak responses (Walldorf et al., 2019) ⁶.