Hospital Infection Control & Prevention – December 1, 2021
December 1, 2021
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Infection Preventionists Experiencing Burnout, Moral Injury Amid Pandemic
Infection preventionists (IPs) are suffering along with their coworkers as an epidemic of burnout and job turnover roils the healthcare system amid an ongoing pandemic. According to a survey in press by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, 70% of IPs meet the criteria for “high stress” and 65% show symptoms of burnout.
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CMS Issues Mandatory Vaccine Rule for Healthcare Workers
While emphasizing the national threat of the pandemic and the safety and efficacy of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services came down to one bedrock reason healthcare workers now face mandated immunization: their ethical duty to protect patients.
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CMS Warned of Mandate’s Threat to Long-Term Care, Rural Sites
Even healthcare workers who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 voluntarily warn of the unintended consequences of a federal vaccine mandate, particularly to long-term care and rural facilities already hit hard by the pandemic.
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Genetic Research Suggests a ‘Superspreader’ in Provincetown
Was the large COVID-19 outbreak in Provincetown, MA, in July 2021 a superspreader event? The question remains inconclusive, but genetic evidence in new preprint research strongly signals a superspreader type event.
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Temperature and Symptom Check Rarely Prevents Presenteeism
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a common ritual at hospital entry for healthcare workers is undergoing a temperature and/or symptoms check upon arriving for their shift. The problem is it rarely works.
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CDC Urges Pregnant Women to Get Vaccinated
Despite the risk of severe disease and death, about two-thirds of pregnant women are not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
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FDA: Eye Injuries Increasing Because of Alcohol Hand Rubs
Although a key infection control intervention, the ubiquitous presence of alcohol-based hand hygiene dispensers has led to an increase in people reporting severe eye irritations and injuries.