The signs are everywhere, leaves on the ground, bumper-to-bumper traffic and monsoon rains. Oh, and who could miss the Halloween costumes in all the stores? Before too long Santa will also be making an appearance. Winter is nipping at our heels, and so are norovirus and the flu.

Below are a few reminders of things we can all do to make sure those uninvited guests don’t crash the upcoming holiday season:

1. Wash your hands – The signs and reminders are everywhere and the benefits are obvious. Last year the overall hand hygiene compliance rate for VCH/PHC was 71%, so we still have some work to do before we reach our goal of 100%. What can you do? Find out what the hand hygiene rates are on your unit to see if there are areas for improvement and brush up on your hand washing skills by taking the Infection Prevention and Control Hand Hygiene Module on CCRS.
2. Remind your patients and visitors to wash their hands – They’re part of the equation. Remind visitors to wash their hands before entering and when leaving a facility and remind patients to do the same before eating and after using the washroom.
3. Get your flu shot – Stay tuned for the launch of the staff flu campaign later this month.
4. Stay home when you’re sick – As health care professionals we often put ourselves last on the priority list. This season, make yourself a priority and stay home if you have symptoms of the flu or gastrointestinal illness, your colleagues and patients will thank you.
5. Isolate patients at risk – If you are see a patient exhibiting signs and symptoms of flu or norovirus: implement isolation precautions, communicate to your colleagues and the patient and ensure signage and Personal Protective Equipment is available while awaiting a firm diagnosis. Remember to consult with your infection control practitioner or medical microbiology before you remove any isolation signs or transfer patients/residents in and out of isolation rooms.
6. Don’t share food – It’s that time of year again for holiday potlucks and gifts from patients. Remember not to share those goodies unless they are individually wrapped and to stay away from goodies all together if there is an outbreak.

Have more tips to share?

Tell us in the comments field below.

Have questions?

Contact your local infection control practitioner:

• Vancouver: Eithne Connolly – 604-875-4002   eithne.connolly@vch.ca
• Coastal: Munira Murji – 604-904-3537 @3537  munira.murji@vch.ca
• Richmond: Gail Busto – 604-244-5156  gail.busto@vch.ca
• Community Facilities for Flu – Kelly Yu Kelly.yu@vch.ca
• Community Facilities for Norovirus – contact your local Medical Health Officer (MHO)