NIOSH Releases HVAC Checklist for Facilities with Measles Patients

A new checklist (PDF) published by NIOSH is intended to help staff in healthcare facilities quickly assess heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in areas where measles patients could receive care. According to the agency, infection preventionists and facility managers may also use the checklist to help them prepare to care for patients with measles. The checklist can be used to apply existing guidance from CDC and ASHRAE, including the agency’s environmental infection control guidelines and ASHRAE Standard 170, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities. According to NIOSH, completing the checklist may involve staff from several departments, including facilities management, infection prevention and control, clinical leadership, and environmental services. The checklist covers topics such as general preparedness, airborne infection isolation rooms, and maintenance and monitoring.

Measles cases are on the rise in the U.S. More than 2,200 cases were confirmed in 2025, according to CDC. The agency reports 171 confirmed cases of measles so far in 2026. Outbreaks in three states—Arizona, South Carolina, and Utah—have led to many of the cases across the country. In South Carolina alone, the state’s Department of Health reported 124 new measles cases since Friday. 

NIOSH’s checklist is available as a PDF download from the agency’s website.