Weekly Rounds: New COVID-19 Variants, Robotic Surgery Challenges, and more
Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending May 13.
Here are 5 highlights from ICT®’s wide-ranging coverage of the infection prevention and control world. Everything from interviews with known opinion leaders, to the news that infection preventionists and other health care professionals can use on their jobs.
AB.4 and BA.5 Variants, Pandemic Fatigue, and Waning Immunity: A Toxic Mix
Few individuals in the United States are currently wearing masks, and many are continuing to engage in risky behavior. This may well be a toxic mix, and healthcare facilities and infection preventionists need to prepare for another possible surge in cases.
Robotic-Assisted Surgery Presents Unique Sterile Processing Challenges
Sterile processing of robotic surgery instruments and other complex instruments require complex methods.
Web-Based Hand Hygiene Application Improves HCW Compliance
Swiss hospital developed and implemented “Clean Hands,” and the results are significant over paper data collection.
An IP’s Newest Weapon: CBIC's LTC Certification
Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc (CBIC) is debuting a new certification for infection preventionists (IPs) who work in long-term care (LTC) settings.
Team Effort Significantly Reduces Hospital-Onset C-difficile Infections
The interprofessional team implemented multiple evidenced-based interventions that demonstrated sustained compliance.
CDC Urges Vigilance: New Recommendations for Monitoring and Testing H5N1 Exposures
July 11th 2025With avian influenza A(H5N1) infections surfacing in both animals and humans, the CDC has issued updated guidance calling for aggressive monitoring and targeted testing to contain the virus and protect public health.
IP LifeLine: Layoffs and the Evolving Job Market Landscape for Infection Preventionists
July 11th 2025Infection preventionists, once hailed as indispensable during the pandemic, now face a sobering reality: budget pressures, hiring freezes, and layoffs are reshaping the field, leaving many IPs worried about their future and questioning their value within health care organizations.
A Helping Hand: Innovative Approaches to Expanding Hand Hygiene Programs in Acute Care Settings
July 9th 2025Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.
