Summary
This government guidance is intended to prevent transmission of seasonal respiratory viral infections focussing on influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in health and care settings while continuing to support the recovery of services.
Content
This guidance supersedes the previous UK IPC COVID-19 guidance for maintaining services within health and care settings to allow organisations to assess and manage the ongoing delivery of service provision throughout the winter period 2021 to 2022.
This guidance considers SARS-CoV-2 (including variants of concern) and other seasonal respiratory infections, including influenza and RSV. The use of local and national prevalence and incidence data during the winter months should be used to guide local service delivery.
Main changes and updates versions 22 November 2021 to 17 January 2022
- Removal of the 3 COVID-19 specific care pathways (high, medium and low). This is in response to stakeholder feedback and to facilitate local application of the guidance by organisations/employers. The use of, or requirement for, care pathways should be defined locally.
- Addition of a section on the criteria to be applied within the ‘hierarchy of controls’ to further support organisations/services with maximum workplace risk mitigation.
- Recommendation for universal use of face masks for staff and face masks or coverings for all patients and visitors to remain as an IPC measure within health and care settings over the winter period. This is likely to be until at least March or April 2022.
- Recommendation that physical distancing should be at least 1 metre, increasing whenever feasible to 2 metres across all health and care settings.
- Recommendation that physical distancing should remain at 2 metres where patients with suspected or confirmed respiratory infection are being cared for or managed.
- Recommendation that screening, triaging and testing for SARS-CoV-2 continues over the winter period. Testing for other respiratory pathogens will depend on the health and care setting according to local/country-specific testing strategies/frameworks and data.
- In response to Omicron and other variants of concern (VOCs) it is recommended that staff and organisations continue to undertake risk assessments using the hierarchy of controls which include an evaluation of the ventilation in the area, operational capacity, physical distancing and prevalence of COVID-19. Where a risk assessment indicates it, RPE should be available to all relevant staff. Staff should be provided with training on correct use. The text has been updated to make this clearer.
- Recommendation that the inpatient isolation period for COVID-19 cases or contacts is reduced from 14 days to 10 days. There are some exceptions to reducing the isolation period and this should be considered as part of a clinical risk assessment.
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