Infection control benefits everyone.
Infection control prevents the spread of disease in healthcare settings. Following simple, evidence-based practices protects you, your patients and your community.
Stay up to date on best practices. Check out the resources below. We also offer:
- Help with communicable disease and reporting questions.
- Help with outbreak investigation and control.
- Visits from Public Health Consultants who provide public health information and updates.
When transferring a patient, hospitals and long-term care facilities must complete the
Inter-Facility Infection Prevention and Safety Form.
Precautions
- Infection Control Guidelines.
- Standard precautions for all patient care, CDC.
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Basics, CDC
Injection safety
- Safe Injection Practices to Prevent Transmission of Infections to Patients, CDC.
- Preventing Unsafe Injection Practices, CDC.
- Injection Safety Resources for Providers, CDC.
Hand hygiene
Personal protective equipment
Environmental Cleaning
- Quick reference: How to clean equipment and surfaces, when to clean, what to use.
- Disinfection and sterilization guideline, CDC.
Other resources
- Infection control resources and links.
- Controlling norovirus.
- Influenza information.
- Healthcare-associated infections, CDC.
- Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
- epiTrends, DOH.
Patient materials
Infection Control News
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12/23/24 Provider Alert: Masking recommended for healthcare workers
Given the recent increase in transmission of respiratory viruses, including flu, COVID-19, and RSV, Jefferson County Public Health recommends that all healthcare workers wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask in patient-facing settings to protect against both acquiring and spreading these infections to others. Masking is required in settings of known COVID-19, influenza, or RSV. We also…
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08/01/24 Provider Alert: Ongoing transmission of Candida auris identified in Washington.
Background C. auris is an emerging, often multi-drug resistant yeast, that was first identified in the US in 2009. The first locally acquired case of C. auris in Washington was reported in 2023, and the first outbreak was reported in January 2024. It can cause difficult to control outbreaks in high acuity facilities, especially among…
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03/14/23 Health Advisory: Extensively Drug-Resistant Shigellosis
Requested actions Background Shigellosis is an acute enteric infection. It is an important cause of domestically acquired and travel-associated bacterial diarrhea in the United States. A low infectious dose makes Shigella bacteria easily transmitted from person to person. Consider shigellosis in the differential diagnosis of acute diarrhea, especially in people who: Shigellosis can be a mild,…