On January 8, 2021, The World Health Organization (WHO) updated their guidance for infection prevention and control in the context of COVID-19. The update contains new evidence and guidance for long-term care facilities dealing with COVID-19. The interim guidance is intended for Infection Preventionists and managers in the long-term care setting.
The purpose of the interim guidance is to prevent COVID-19 from entering facilities and stopping the spread of COVID-19. Also, it provides guidance to support safe conditions for visitation through infection prevention and control procedures for the residents’ well-being.
The guidance includes evidence-based strategies, including the following:
- Staff compartmentalization, which includes organizing work so that the staff work in small groups in one area of the facility with no physical connection or mixing with other staff members, when possible. This includes staff cohorting, the assignment of staff to care separately for infected and uninfected residents, which is shown to decrease the spread of COVID-19.
- Providing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to residents, and signage to remind staff regarding droplet and contact precautions. WHO also recommends training and frequent audits to ensure proper mask use by staff, which has been shown to also decrease the prevalence of infections in long-term care settings.
- Common areas should be cleaned at least two times per day and additionally when soiled. Fresh cleaning cloths should be used each time a new cleaning session is initiated.
- Promoting and enforcing hand hygiene measures among staff, residents, and visitors.
- Ensuring appropriate communication between long-term care facilities and hospitals.
WHO’s infection control and prevention guidance can be accessed at: Infection prevention and control guidance for long-term care facilities in the context of COVID-19 update (who.int)
Issue:
Facilities should be adhering to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) information releases, and, in addition, be familiar with the WHO’s recommendations for preventing the spread of COVID-19. WHO’s evidence-based guidance can be used to populate further interventions to decrease the spread of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities. Failure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infections in long-term care settings could be considered provision of substandard quality of care, in violation of state and federal regulations, and may result in citations and related sanctions.
Discussion:
- Review policies and procedures and your facility’s Infection Prevention and Control Plan to ensure they include the most current strategies and interventions to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 and other infections.
- Train all staff on infection control and prevention. Document that the trainings occurred, and file the signed training document in the employee’s file.
- Periodically audit to ensure that your facility’s infection control and prevention interventions are being followed by all staff members, and that each employee demonstrates competence in following your Infection Prevention and Control Plan.
