COVID-19: infection prevention and control (IPC)

Removed ‘Considerations for acute personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages’.

Added COVID-19 risk pathways to support returning services.

Added ‘Epidemiological definitions of outbreaks and clusters in particular settings’.

Added recommendations for the use of face masks in primary care.

Clarification of aerosol generating procedures in the complete guidance PDF and in the COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) page.

Addition of new operational guidance from NHS England.

Amends to the PDF of complete guidance (added text in the appendix, and a corrected link to evidence review). Corrected link to evidence review also added to the PPE page.

Added Appendix 2.

Added new PDF version of complete guidance; updated ‘Introduction and organisational preparedness’, ‘Transmission characteristics and principles of infection prevention and control’, ‘COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE)’, ‘Explanation of the updates to infection prevention and control guidance’ ‘ Reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in the hospital setting’.

Added HSE statement about use of FFP2 respirators to the ‘Considerations for acute personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages’ attachment.

Added statement following NERVTAG review of cardiopulmonary resuscitation as an aerosol generating procedure, and added same statement into the PDF of the complete guidance.

Added PDF version of the complete suite of guidance. Added clarification that chest compression is not an aerosol generating procedure to the PPE page.

Added Considerations for acute personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages.

Added a statement to clarify that the UK is currently experiencing sustained community transmission of COVID-19.

Updated guidance, new Tables 1,3 and 4, and added links.

Removed reference to ‘first responders’ in PPE table 3 and guidance.

List of guidance updates now included in ‘Explanation of the updates to infection prevention and control guidance’.

Added Frequently Asked Questions on wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Added explanation of the updates to the infection prevention and control guidance.

Updated ‘A visual guide to safe PPE’ poster.

New tables describing PPE use across different clinical scenarios and settings; advice on sessional PPE use and reusable PPE; change in close-contact distance; advice on washing forearms if exposed; advice on acceptable respirators; general formatting to improve usability.

Revised sections on aerosol generating procedures and theatres.

Moved guidance for personal protective equipment (PPE) for aerosol generating procedures and for non-aerosol generating procedures to new, separate pages.

Added new guidance for putting on and taking off personal protective equipment (PPE) for non-aerosol generating procedures.

Added new guidance on when to use a face mask or FFP3 respirator.

Added ‘Infection prevention and control guidance for pandemic coronavirus’.

Changes to PPE and mask and respiratory recommendations for different situations; incorporated existing advice on safe use of point-of-care tests including blood gas machines and updated advice on IPC in operating theatres.

Added quick guides and videos for donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Added posters for donning and doffing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Revised guidance.

Updated section on ‘Waste’ with new information.

Updated waste categorisation and terminology for novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

Updated document with new edition.

First published.