Universal and Standard {Infection} Precautions
“Universal Precautions” is a term that evolved into the basis for safely treating patients that may or may not have carried the HIV Virus in the early 1980’s as that life-threatening disease entity began to emerge in the United States. Some knowledge of what that virus could do, combined with increasingly frightening fears of what was not known for certain, sparked a significant panic in the health care fields and infection initially even involved many healthcare professionals (through unintentional contamination e.g. accidental hypodermic needle sticks). As research identified the parameters of infection, there was a “trickle-down” effect for accurate information that eventually resulted in a working knowledge of how HIV was transmitted and what precautions made the health care fields and facilities relatively safe. These “Universal Precautions” are now known as “Universal/Standard Precautions” and are still in place and are observed by every healthcare facility in this country. In fact they are federally mandated through OSHA regulations and they will likely protect the public from transmission of the latest viral threat from any healthcare facility. However, from what we know of the coronavirus (COVID-19), it is far more communicable than HIV, but thankfully it appears to be far less lethal. The apparent most vulnerable population are those individuals with compromised immune systems. That translates to the very old along with people who have been treated recently for various cancers, or people with other diseases where the treatment makes the patient more vulnerable to diseases (especially those with pulmonary conditions {lung}). Because, measures to slow or stop the spread of this virus have not been completely successful, despite some remarkable efforts, we must all be aware of the steps necessary to protect ourselves. If you fall into any of the categories previously described, you may be more at risk than the general population. Since I love you all like family, please indulge my requests that you all take reasonable care to prevent infection and subsequent transmission.
UNTIL MORE IS LEARNED AND COMMUNICATED REGARDING THIS VIRUS,WE MUST TRUST THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL RECOMMENDATIONS
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/workplace-school-and-home-guidance.pdf
- Wash your hands with soap frequently for a minimum of 20 seconds (2 rounds of “Happy Birthday”);
- When that option is not available, yet you have been near other people, whose recent history you probably do not know, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content (vodka and gin are around 40% and therefore not adequate hand sanitizer substitutes😊);
- Avoid crowded places and close contact (hand-shaking, hugging, kissing and even fist bumping);
- Although houses of worship are significant in most people’s lives, they are potentially hot-beds of disease transmission. This virus can live up to 2 weeks on a dry surface. Publicly handled prayer books and hymnals are high risk encounters. I suggest the use of gloves in this situation – with hand sanitizer used both before and after wearing gloves. Do not re-use gloves.
WE TAKE PRECAUTIONS FOR YOU!
OUR PROTECTIVE STEPS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:
- Washing Our Hands before and after patient care.
- Putting on New Gloves for each new patient.
- Putting on Masks and Eye Protection along with Scrubs (surgical wear).
- Disposing of Needles and Other Sharp Objects by placing them in puncture proof containers
- Thoroughly Cleaning our Rooms and Equipment with Disinfectant and Changing Plastic Dental Chair Covers Between Patients.
