Weekly Rounds with Infection Control Today: Masking Guidelines, VA’s Bold Move, Booster Shots
Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending July 30.
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.
CDC Tightens Masking Rules for Fully Vaccinated in COVID-19 Hot Spots
New CDC guidelines say that vaccinated individuals should begin wearing masks again when indoors in public settings in parts of the US with substantial to high transmission.
VA Mandates That Health Care Providers be Vaccinated
In making the announcement, the VA noted that 4 of its employees have died in recent weeks, all of whom were unvaccinated. And 3 died as a direct result of the Delta variant.
Israel to Offer COVID-19 Booster Shots to Older Citizens
Israeli announced that it will begin offering a booster shot to its older citizens to try to stop the spread of the Delta variant. It is the first country in the world to make this move.
FDA Approval Helps Immunocompromised Shingles Sufferers
Shingrix was originally approved by the FDA in 2017 for the prevention of shingles in adults 50 years and older. Now, it’s approved for those 18 years and older who are immunocompromised.
Everybody Needs to be Vaccinated and Wear a Mask
Kevin Kavanagh, MD: “I am convinced this virus is about one or two iterations away from completely avoiding the vaccine. And remember, we have the lambda variant and the kappa variant which are sitting out there in the wings, waiting for immunity to drop and possibly cause another wave.”
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.
