Hand-washing and disinfecting surfaces doesn’t do much to curb the spread of respiratory viruses, because airborne transmission plays a much larger role, Jacob Stern wrote in an Oct. 24 piece for The Atlantic.
Category: Infection Control
Nation’s 1st C. auris cluster among kids detected at Nevada hospital
The nation’s first confirmed cluster of Candida auris infections among children was detected at Las Vegas-based Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in May, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Florida hospital nurse contracted monkeypox from needlestick, CDC says
A Florida hospital nurse was exposed to monkeypox through a needlestick in July, representing the nation’s first confirmed case from a healthcare exposure, the CDC said Oct. 17.
Why hospitals won’t keep universal masking around forever
Face masks have played a crucial role in reducing COVID-19 transmission in hospitals, but clinical and infection control experts are not convinced the pandemic has set a new precedent for widespread use of facial coverings in healthcare settings.
4 steps healthcare leaders can take to prepare for future outbreaks
The U.S. healthcare industry would benefit from investing in infection prevention in control, especially in light of the missteps from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Devin Jopp, EdD, CEO of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control & …
Indianapolis hospital implements visitor restrictions to prepare for rise in RSV cases
Indianapolis-based Riley Hospital for Children is preparing for a rise in respiratory syncytial virus cases by adjusting visitation policies and expanding its pediatric intensive care unit, WishTV reported Oct. 5.
Hospital floors, employees’ shoes may be ‘underappreciated source’ of MRSA spread: study
Hospital floors and shoes could be an overlooked source for dissemination of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other healthcare-associated pathogens, according to a study performed at a VA hospital in Ohio.
Infection preventionists should still mask in patient care areas, APIC says
The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology urges all infection preventionists to maintain mandatory mask requirement policies for all healthcare employees in patient care areas despite the CDC’s recent guidance shift.
CDC drops universal masking guideline for healthcare workers
The CDC dropped its universal masking guideline for healthcare workers after a weeklong slowdown in COVID-19 hospitalizations and nursing home infections nationwide, CBS News reported Sept. 23.
Biosecurity advisers urge tighter oversight of experiments with viruses
Members of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurtiy issued draft recommendations urging the federal government to tighten its policies on experiments involving possibly dangerous viruses and other pathogens, The Washington Post reported Sept…
