Does Infection Prevention Start in the Restroom?
Yes and no.
Infection prevention starts by preventing germs from entering the human body, and the number one method is handwashing, which generally happens in restrooms; so yes, from this perspective, that is true.
Infection prevention also starts in the restroom as toilets and urinals are flushed, driving infectious aerosol into the air where it can be inhaled or land on surfaces.
Since fomites can sicken exposed people, and the presence of fecally-orally-transmitted germs on restroom surfaces is a concentrated source, cleaning those surfaces matters.
Infection prevention priorities in general include:
- Handwashing (for reducing surface and touchpoint transmission).
- Masking Up (for reducing airborne transmission).
- Staying home if sick (for reducing airborne and surface transmission).
- Covering coughs (for reducing airborne transmission).
- Ventilation (for reducing airborne transmission).
- Surface cleaning and disinfection (for reducing surface and touchpoint transmission).
Thank you for taking time to learn this information.
Please read the post above and use the three flashcards below the flashcard instructions to internalize the key points.
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know the material.
Then at the end, if possible without looking at the back of the cards, put the answers in your own words and submit for review.
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