Infection control is a range of preventive measures to contain infectious diseases, from hand washing to disinfection. Hospitals, schools, and travel centers are susceptible to outbreaks, with medical staff educated in infection control. Global air travel has increased the spread of viruses, making infection control a global concern. Agencies target data study, immunization, and rapid identification and containment of life-threatening diseases. Simple precautions like hand washing and wearing a mask can help contain the spread of viruses.
Infection control covers a wide range of preventive procedures and actions, all designed to stem and contain the infectious disease epidemic. These measures can range from basic hand washing practices to state of the art disinfection techniques. Infection control usually focuses on hospitals and healthcare settings, but can also extend to schools, travel centers and the general population. There are a number of bacterial and viral infections and they can manifest themselves in varying degrees of potency. Humans, animals, and plants all have the ability to transmit disease in a myriad of ways, such as human-to-human contact, animal-to-human contact, and through the air.
Hospital environments are often susceptible to infectious outbreaks due to their very nature. Patients with infectious diseases are usually quarantined in a separate section of the hospital, but without proper infection control, medical staff can sometimes transfer illnesses to other parts of the facility. Other patients, already weakened by compromised immune systems, are highly susceptible to contracting these diseases. Other points of potential outbreaks are the same surgeries or other medical procedures. These factors mean that doctors, nurses, food handlers and cleaning personnel are all educated in the principles of infection control.
Global air travel has been a critical element in the spread of viruses around the world. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was believed to have spread in this way. Indeed, the 2003 outbreak in Asia was seen as a textbook case of how quickly a virus can travel from one country to another. Within three months, SARS had spread to multiple countries and killed nearly 800 people, with thousands more infected. With pandemics like this, plus faster delivery systems, infection control becomes a global concern.
Because of the potential for so many people to become infected with viruses and bacteria, infection control agencies have a wide range of targets. These include data study, sample collection, immunization, contingency planning, and rapid identification and containment of any life-threatening disease. Infection control experts advise people to take a few simple precautions to help contain the spread of viruses. Thorough hand washing in warm water is essential, as is wearing a disposable cloth mask if already sick and infected. It’s good to remember that when a person sneezes, germs spread through the air at speeds over 100 miles per hour.
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