Measures of infection control in hospitals towards suspected cases of bird flu:
Precautionary measures of infection control:
These measures are divided into two sections:
Standard precautionary measures: they are the measures that should be applied at all times to all patients (including bird flu patients).
Additional precautionary measures concerning infection transmission, including:
- Precautions related to respiratory secretions.
- Precautions related to direct contact.
- Precautions related to the infection transmitted through the air.
Needless to mention, combining all these precautionary measures together will lead to the attainment of excellent efficiency in infection control. The adherence to these precautionary measures, therefore, is indispensable to prevent to put an end to the prevalence of infection.
Standard Precautions:
Treatment of bird flu patients at hospitals should be accompanied by ensuring protection for the other inpatients, as well as those working in the hospital, by following these precautions:
- Washing hands with a disinfectant, or with water and soap.
- Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling laboratory specimen, or other secretions; including gloves, high-quality facemask (N95), or a surgical facemask, in addition to an apron with long sleeves, a head cover and glasses.
- Being cautious when dealing with the patient's tools and belongings.
- Prevention against syringes and other surgical instruments.
- Cleanliness of the surrounding environment, and eliminations of wastes.
Additional precautionary measures concerning infection transmission:
These measures are applied after ensuring the application of the abovementioned measures. They include:
- Precautions related to respiratory secretions.
- Precautions related to direct contact.
- Precautions related to the infection transmitted through the air: including the use of a high quality facemask (N95), and assigning an isolated room with negative pressure for the bird flu patient.
These precautions are applied in case the patient is infectious (carrier of the disease):
- Patients over 12 years old: the application of the precautions continues for 7 days after recovery from the fever.
- Patients aging 12 years old (or younger): the application of the precautions continues for 21 days after recovery from the fever.
- It is advisable for the family to take the necessary precautionary measures, such as washing hands, and using facemasks (normal or surgical) for children who still suffer from cough.
Precautions necessary to reduce the probability of infection prevalence:
Assigning an isolated room with negative pressure for the patient. And if not possible, patients could be put together in one room, with cloth separators between them.
Ensuring the application of all the necessary precautions (personal protective equipment "PPE") when getting into the patient's room.
Limiting the patient's movement inside the hospital. And when necessity be, he has to put on preventive clothes.
Medical teams and health worker dealing with bird flu patients have to apply all the necessary precautions (personal protective equipment "PPE").
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is highly recommended for:
All workers in the health field, those who get in direct contact with bird flu patients (doctors, nurses of both genders, workers in radiological laboratories, physiotherapist).
Assistant workers (cleaners and laundry workers).
Workers in laboratories, and those dealing with the patient's specimens.
The patient's family and visitors.
The following precautions are recommended when getting out of the patient's room:
Taking off the apron and putting it right.
Taking off the gloves.
Washing hands with a disinfectant.
Taking off the head cover and glasses.
Taking of the facemask, and making sure not to touch its front part.
Washing hands, once again, with a disinfectant.
Leaving the dressing room.
Washing hands one more time outside the dressing room.
Disinfectants to be used:
Given the virus becomes inactive when using alcohol (70%), as well as chlorine, it is recommended to use the following disinfectants after cleansing the surrounding environment of the patient:
Sodium hypochlorite (1%): to cleanse the tools and instruments contaminated with the patients' blood and secretions.
Chlorine (70%): to cleanse toilets and bathrooms.
Alcohol (70%): to cleanse metal pans and surfaces of tables.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
Facemask (N95)
Gloves.
Apron.
Head cover.
Protective eyeglasses.
Long shoes.