A household member has already been exposed to varicella at home. What follows for masks during a home visit?

1. Family members already exposed to diseases such as varicella and tuberculosis would not use masks or respiratory protection. 2. A mask for that household member would prevent nothing, because the exposure has already happened. 3. Visiting healthcare personnel are in a different position, since they arrive from outside and move on to other patients. 4. So visiting personnel would need to use such protection. 5. The reversed option puts the burden on the family and lets the visiting nurse off, which is the trap. 6. Household exposure never becomes a reason for the visiting nurse to drop protection. _Source: CDC Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings (2007), Part III, section III.E. Application of Transmission-Based Precautions in Ambulatory and Home Care Settings_