How To Manage Airborne Infection Control In Hospitals
Airborne illnesses create a significant infection control challenge.
These infections, such as COVID-19 and norovirus, spread with incredible ease. You can catch them just by breathing and that’s precisely what makes them so dangerous.
Airborne illnesses can spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes, laughs or even talks. Even if they are showing no symptoms, their nose and throat secretions can be projected into the air and inhaled by anybody else in the vicinity.
These illnesses don’t just travel via the mouth, nose and throat, however.
COVID-19, for example, can also become aerosolised by other secretions, such as faeces and urine. In these cases, the flush of a toilet – as opposed to a cough or sneeze – can force bacteria into the air. The aerosolised droplets are then free to land on nearby surfaces, where they can be transferred by touch (such as on the handle of a toilet flush), or simply inhaled by the next person to step into that space.
How can hospitals fight airborne infection?
Fighting an invisible threat is notoriously difficult in any environment. For hospitals, the challenge is doubled by the fact that facilities are often densely populated with people who are already ill.
Not only are infections more likely to spread, but the consequences for those who are weak and unwell are far higher. In a hospital setting, even an outbreak of the flu can result in avoidable deaths.
Fortunately, advancements in infection control are being constantly made. Even in the last year, technology has developed to make the control of airborne bacteria easier and more effective.
UV air purifiers can kill bacteria before they’ve had a chance to be inhaled or transferred by touch.
The UVMATIC® from DDC Dolphin helps to prevent infection by eliminating bacteria in the air and on surfaces.
This innovative air purifier destroys airborne pathogens such as influenza, E. coli and salmonella by drawing in the polluted air and treating it using UV light. In doing so, it’s also highly effective at removing unpleasant smells from areas such as bathrooms and corridors.
Powered by one high-quality and low-energy 16-watt UV lamp, each UVMATIC provides 9,000 hours of worry-free air cleansing, completely autonomously. The UV bulb even reduces the need for environmentally damaging chemicals, making it both a highly effective and eco-friendly solution.
You can trust antimicrobial coatings to protect touch points including door handles, light switches and screens.
The Hygenex Recoat Antimicrobial Coating System is a two-part spray solution which, when applied hard surfaces, will eliminate bacteria and viruses for up to six months. Hygenex® Recoat® Antimicrobial Protector is a water based quick drying antimicrobial coating utilising silver chloride antimicrobial technology, and has been scientifically proven to protect against major HCAIs including E. Coli, MRSA, staph aureus and SARS-CoV-2.
For ultimate peace of mind, presence of the antimicrobial coating can even be identified with a UV light, making it clear when a fresh application is required.
On average, one bottle of Hygenex Recoat Antimicrobial Protector will cover 200-300 door handles and around 500 light switches, making it a truly cost-effective solution.
Embedded antimicrobial protection can also provide long-term protection to hospital machinery.
DDC Dolphin uses innovative MicrobeSafe+ technology on the touch points of all current medical pulp macerators and bedpan washers.
When germs land on an antimicrobial protected surface, the antimicrobial ingredient within the surface breaks down the infected/infectious cells. The germs die and are unable to reproduce, creating a far safer environment.
MicrobeSafe+ is different to other antimicrobial coatings because its silver ion technology is built in to the machine’s surface. This means it will stay active for far longer, working to protect your patients and clinicians for at least eight years.
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