Hygiene (Hands, Environment, Air)

Patients with respiratory illnesses can generate large volumes of infectious
aerosols when they vocalise, sneeze, or cough. Certain clinical procedures such
as bronchoscopy, endotracheal intubation, sputum induction, etc can also produce
high volumes of infectious aerosols. In most health care settings, the current
strategy for controlling exposure to infectious aerosols relies on three major
types of control measure: (i) patient care practices, (ii) use of personal protective
equipment (PPE), and (iii) ward ventilation. These conventional infection control
practices only provide personal protection for health care workers (HCWs). In
some health care facilities with isolation wards equipped with special ventilation
systems, infectious bioaerosols are largely free to disperse and travel within these
units, exposing personnel and articles in the ward to the risk of contamination.