Infection Control - May 2020
Creating an N95 mask disinfection facility for less Than $15,000
Health system is offering a free instruction manual
5/29/2020
Healthcare cook stitches masks for customers at Pittsburgh hospital during pandemic
Her design includes pockets!
5/29/2020
Houston hospital installs touchless temperature cameras
The cameras can scan whoever crosses their path, alerting users instantly if an elevated temperature is present
5/29/2020
A million N95 masks is not what it used to be
In normal, pre-Covid-19 times, that would be a large supply. Now, not so much.
5/28/2020
Aspergillus mold discovered again at Seattle Children’s hospital
The hospital has had mold issues for nearly 20 years and has been linked to seven deaths
5/28/2020
Mattresses choices can help with COVID-19 infection control
Many healthcare facilities use porous mattresses that may allow the virus to enter the medium and contaminate them
5/28/2020
Cleaning for healthy workplaces during pandemic
Focus on cleaning and disinfecting common areas where staff and others providing services might come into contact with ill persons
5/28/2020
Equipment and environment need infection control attention
Coronavirus can remain on surfaces long after a patient infects a certain area or item
5/28/2020
Lessons From South Korea on the role of infection control in flattening the curve
South Korea has incorporated hospital infection control as a core component of its national COVID-19 containment strategy
5/27/2020
The CDC releases official reopening guidelines
Document came about two weeks after the White House reportedly tabled the guidelines
5/26/2020
N.C.’s pandemic medical shelter to go dormant but won’t be dismantled
The shelter can be made ready to take patients within four or five days
5/26/2020
Infection prevention and control in the hospitals of Wuhan
Shelter hospitals have higher risks of nosocomial infection than general hospitals
5/26/2020
Hospitals use online matchmakers to exchange supplies
Online platforms have emerged to match hospitals that need masks, gowns and ventilators with those that have extras
5/22/2020
Hospital procedural change blamed for 6 nurses testing positive
Syracuse hospital told nurses it was no longer necessary to wear N95 masks and that surgical masks are enough
5/22/2020
Areas outside nursing home resident rooms key to infection control
Residents have frequent contact with staff and the environment outside of their rooms
5/22/2020
Documenting pandemic poses safety challenge
Photographer is documenting the coronavirus pandemic through the eyes of patients and staff
5/21/2020
20 years of closing hospitals in N.Y. hampers capacity during pandemic
State and healthcare leaders eliminated 20,000 hospital beds over the past two decades
5/21/2020
Florida strengthens COVID-19 testing in longterm care facilities
The orders require nursing homes and assisted-living facilities to allow the Florida Department of Health into their buildings for infection control and conducting COVID-19 testing
5/20/2020
Wisconsin nursing home took aggressive steps to halt coronavirus
Autumn Oaks Assisted Living in Slinger once faced four active cases of coronavirus
5/20/2020
Impact of superbugs on infection control strategies
Currently, superbugs cause twice as many deaths in the U.S. as they did six years ago
5/20/2020
Experts suggest public restrooms and offices should be re-engineered to control infections
Hand washing can be useless if people have to touch unclean surfaces
5/19/2020
CMS draft guidelines for reopening nursing homes
Some industry officials and infection-control experts are worried that moving too fast could increase the risks
5/19/2020
Hospitals struggle to restart elective care after shutdowns
Reopening will be difficult with the threat of more infection
5/18/2020
Pa. had plan to protect nursing home during pandemic that was never fully implemented
A more limited effort wasn’t activated until mid-April, long after major outbreaks had already taken hold
5/18/2020
Nursing homes, veterans’ homes are Covid-19 hotspots
Long-term care facilities are the overlooked epicenters of the pandemic.
5/18/2020
Legionnaires' plan: Prevent, detect, treat
Legionnaires’ disease remains a top priority in effective plumbing and restroom maintenance
5/18/2020
Long-term care facilities opening dedicated COVID-19 units
The COVID-only wings will be cordoned off from the rest of the facilities and have their own entrances and dedicated staff
5/15/2020
Pa. health official says state won’t supply protective equipment to hospitals that resume elective surgeries
The priority has shifted to nursing homes, where most of the state’s COVID-19 deaths have occurred
5/15/2020
Feds consider relaxing infection control in U.S. nursing homes
The longterm care industry's residents and workers are currently overwhelmed by the coronavirus
5/14/2020
Many hospitals now sanitize and reuse masks
One agency of the federal government is allowing for 20 cycles of cleaning for a single mask. Another suggests three.
5/14/2020
National Guard disinfects George hospitals
30 National Guardsmen recently sanitize the Phoebe Putney Hospital cancer center
5/14/2020
Study: Hand-washing better at killing flu than sanitizer
Hand-washing is better even without soap
5/14/2020
COVID-19 – Creating a rare convergence of market need and technology
A new technology can now be incorporated in a traditional LED panel fixture using nanometer materials for antiseptic and anti-virus air-cleaning
5/12/2020
Antibiotic resistant co-infections: A silent killer in COVID-19 patients
Hospitals are trying to keep pace with COVID-19 and the resulting drug-resistant secondary bacterial infections
5/12/2020
Study finds healthcare construction training is lacking
Only 52 percent of those surveyed said that owners of healthcare projects always or often required construction teams to receive training
5/11/2020
Advanced medical tents replace triage tents at Md. hospitals
The medical tents can be connected to the hospital’s electric power but also include a generator
5/8/2020
New decontamination center in Los Angeles allows N95 masks to be reused 20 times
The cleaning chamber began operating in early May
5/8/2020
Infection control efforts start with EMS personnel
A study found that EMS practiced hand hygiene before patient contact in just 7 percent of assessments
5/8/2020
Can rice cookers decontaminate face masks?
Investigators found that the appliance can decontaminate cloth masks
5/7/2020
Infection control measures failing in Colorado elder homes
Banning visitors, new rules for infection control and increased testing haven’t stopped spread of COVID-19
5/6/2020
Coronavirus’s impact on healthcare IT: Part Two: Supporting real-time needs of hospitals in crisis
Network segmentation, or social distancing for your medical devices
5/4/2020
Ultrasonics can power infection control in nonwovens
Nonwoven fabrics are key in the battle to prevent the spread of infection
5/4/2020
Chicago-area hospitals using tracking technology to monitor hand hygiene
Healthcare providers only wash or sanitize their hands about half as much as they should
5/4/2020
Sink design can affect infection control efforts
Relatively shallow bowls and aerators can spread microbes
5/1/2020
Hawaii using fogging equipment to disinfect equipment for healthcare facilities
Fog can reach hard-to-reach areas that are not practical to reach with a wiper
5/1/2020
