Q&A: Infection Prevention Shouldn’t Be a Hit-or-Miss Thing
Sharon Ward-Fore, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, says that non-healthcare companies need a lot of help following infection prevention and control guidelines. They may call on infection preventionists for that help.
The efforts of many private industries and government institutions to create infection prevention and control programs are downright cringe-worthy, says Sharon Ward-Fore, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, an infection prevention consultant, and member of Infection Control Today®’s Editorial Advisory Board. For instance, Ward-Fore witnessed one large retailer issue face shields to its cashiers without also issuing masks (a violation of OSHA standards). Other employees at the same store wore cloth masks below their noses. She hopes that infection preventionists will be called upon to offer their expertise. It’s also possible that IPs will be hired in non-healthcare settings thanks to the confusion caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Healing With Algorithms: AI's Impact on Epidemiology and Infection Control
April 2nd 2024Media in the US presents AI as both beneficial and risky. Positive coverage shows AI's potential through virtual assistants like Siri, while cautionary tales warn of misuse like misinformation and deepfakes. How does all this work in health care?
Four Years After COVID-19: What Has the Infection Prevention Community Learned?
March 15th 2024Four years ago today, March 15, 2020, the COVID-19 lockdown began, and since then, the world has undergone significant changes. It has been a terrifying experience for everyone, especially for the infection prevention community, both within and outside of the health care sector. However, a crucial question remains unanswered: What has the infection prevention community learned from this pandemic, and where does it go from here?
COVID-19 Harmonization: Balancing Risks and Benefits of CDC's Latest Move
March 11th 2024The CDC's recent decision to align recommendations for respiratory viruses, particularly COVID-19, has garnered support from the public and infectious disease societies. However, as the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) lends its backing to the CDC's harmonization efforts, concerns persist regarding the implications of this shift, especially considering the Omicron variant's unique characteristics and the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19's multi-system impacts.
