Covid-19 ppt version 5

Isolate and apply infection prevention & control precautions

• Standard precautions, including hand hygiene (5 Moments) for all patients. Patients and health workers should observe respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.
• Transmission-based precautions for patients with suspected, probable or confirmed COVID-19:
• Contact and droplet precautions for routine care of patients.
• Contact, droplet and airborne precautions for respiratory aerosol generating procedures (AGPs).

Aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs)

Aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) are defined as any medical and patient care procedure that results in the production of airborne particles (aerosols) less than 5 micrometres (µm) in size which can remain suspended in the air, travel over a distance and may cause infection if they are inhaled.

Examples of

AGPs can be found on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units

COVID-19 transmission

Generally, SARS CoV-2 is spread by larger respiratory particles of liquid referred to as droplets. These larger droplet particles tend to fall on adjacent surfaces (e.g. floor, tabletop) relatively quickly and do not travel long distances.

Travelling over long distances on air currents is generally not a significant factor in the spread of this infection.

Precautions for COVID-19

Contact and droplet precautions

• Addition of airborne precautions for respiratory AGPs
• Hand hygiene
• Environmental cleaning
• Cleaning of shared patient care equipment

On presentation or admission to hospital the patient should be:

• given a surgical mask to put on, and
• placed in a single room (ensuring air does not circulate to other areas)
• placed in a negative pressure room (in the event of AGPs being performed).
• If transfer outside the room is essential, the patient should wear a surgical mask during transfer and follow respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.