FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Karen Landers, M.D.
(256) 246-1714
[email protected]
To highlight the importance of infection prevention and raise awareness of everyone’s role in protecting the public, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) supports International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW), which occurs globally October 16-22. The 2016 IIPW theme is “Break the Chain of Infection.”
“We want to engage our community around this important topic and encourage patients, families and healthcare providers to work together to keep patients safe,” said Assistant State Health Officer, Dr. Karen Landers, ADPH. “It takes a team to break the chain of infection, and we need everyone’s help to prevent germs from infecting more people.”
Many different germs and infections exist inside and outside the healthcare setting. Despite the variety of viruses and bacteria, germs spread from person to person through a common series of events. To prevent infections, follow these practices:
• Clean hands frequently
• Stay up to date on vaccines (including the flu shot)
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Stay home when sick
• Use antibiotics wisely to prevent antibiotic resistance
Established in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan, IIPW is celebrated annually during the third week of October. Learn more about IIPW on Facebook and Twitter (#IIPW). The “Infection Prevention and You” website for consumers is accessible at http://professionals.site.apic.org.
Healthcare professionals from all settings and levels play an important role in infection prevention. To assist patients and families, downloadable resources and activities are available including fact sheets on infection prevention basics, settings of care, and ways to learn more. Healthcare professionals should visit http://professionals.site.apic.org.