Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Emergent Congregate Settings: A Case of Refugee Settlement to ‘Safe Haven’

In the fall of 2021, 12,900 refugee guests were welcomed to a U.S. Army Total Force Training Center in the rural Midwest. Numerous challenges were experienced on base, including several communicable disease outbreaks. Infection prevention and control (IPC) experts from the state health department were invited on base to observe and provide IPC consultation. Recommendations and an executive summary were provided to base leadership to improve conditions for those living and working on base. •While on-site, the IPC experts observed several core gaps in IPC practices that were likely contributing to the spread of communicable diseases throughout the base.•These gaps included a lack of hand hygiene, improper PPE use, inefficient cleaning and disinfection, improper triaging, inadequate isolation and quarantine practices, and a lack of communication and education.•The state health department presented an executive summary to the base’s contracted company leadership outlining recommendations to improve conditions for those living and working on base.