Infection Control Today, July/August 2020 (Vol. 24 No. 06)

Before 2000, I was uncommon in the United States. I’ve become much more common since, and though health experts don’t know just how many people I infect each year, they can say with certainty that I am a major cause of infections in healthcare settings.

Supply chain issues are a larger, more systemic aspect of healthcare and national preparedness. Although IPs may not be able to fix them individually, there are ways we can ensure the safety of our hospitals.

It will also be necessary to again train other professionals the way IPs have historically trained them about infection prevention, because a lot of the old rules had to be set aside when COVID-19 surged.

Professional development educators and infection control specialists need to design educational programs that create a lasting behavior change when it comes to hand hygiene.

Infection control at LTCFs needs to be a balanced approach that addresses the risk of infection, and not just the treatment of infection. Money is saved when this approach is used.

After decades of reluctance to implement a national reporting system, when COVID-19 came along we witnessed almost overnight the formulation of case definitions and comprehensive national reporting from all healthcare facilities.

To enact social change such as better hand hygiene, only about 25% of a group needs to adopt the change and move the rest of the group forward.

The swiftness and severity of the COVID-19 spread meant some hospitals were scrambling to adjust. Environmental services often led the way.