An antibody cocktail that halts disease progression in sick COVD-19 patients has been shown to prevent the disease altogether in healthy people who live in close contact with an infected person, the drugmaker...
Nearly all high-touch surfaces in LTC are contaminated, study finds
By
Amy Novotney
Feb 18, 2022
More than 90% of “high-touch” surfaces in long-term care facilities, including handrails and equipment controls, are contaminated with fecal matter and other potential sources of infectious...
Increases in non-COVID infections ‘wipe out’ decade of progress
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 03, 2021
The CDC’s new report of a spike in healthcare associated infections is alarming, says the nation’s leading infection control group. One bright spot for nursing homes: CDC found no increase in Clostridium...
The punitive fist versus the hand of support
By
Buffy Lloyd-Krejci, DrPH, CIC
May 03, 2023
In the late 2010s, the long-term care industry began to take action that would reflect the growing importance of incorporating robust infection prevention practices. Facilities were required to develop...
A day in the life of an infection preventionist
By
Buffy Lloyd-Krejci, DrPH, CIC
Jan 30, 2023
When I write or speak about our long-term care industry, I often do just that – refer to “the industry.” Whether it be challenges “the industry” faces, solutions “the industry” needs, or...
MDROs setting up residence: The role of the contaminated environment in long-term care
By
Debra A. Hagberg
Aug 18, 2022
America’s age 65 and older population is expected to nearly double in size in the coming decades, from 49 million in 2016 to 95 million in 2060. With this aging of the population comes the reality of...
Decrease costs and boost morale by fostering a culture that prioritizes infection prevention and control
By
Buffy Lloyd-Krejci, DrPH, CIC
Aug 07, 2023
Before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, infection prevention and control (IPC) in long-term care facilities was usually relegated to the sidelines. If it was focused on at all, IPC often fell squarely on...
Easy to implement infection prevention and control strategies during the holidays in LTC facilities
By
Buffy Lloyd-Krejci, DrPH, CIC
Dec 12, 2023
The Department of Health and Human Services released a report in January of this year showing that more than 1,000 long-term care facilities in the United States had COVID-19 infection rates of 75% or...
Infection control without adding staff — it’s not just a fluke
By
Mary Cole
Jul 26, 2023
In a recent letter to leaders in Congress, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) highlighted the “astonishing lack of attention to infection prevention and control...
Long-term care remains in the dark about infection preventionist requirements
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 13, 2021
The need for infection preventionists has never been greater, but 13 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, long-term care providers still remain in the dark as to who will fit the federal government’s final...