Infection Control and Prevention

Practical Tips

Prevent Food-borne Diseases:

•           COOK meat, fish, poultry and eggs thoroughly.

•           SEPARATE: Don't cross-contaminate one food with another including keepers especially when cooked already.

•           CHILL: Refrigerate leftovers promptly.

•           CLEAN: Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables in running tap water to remove visible dirt and grime.

•           REPORT: Report suspected food-borne illnesses to your local health department. In public health investigations, it can be as important to talk to healthy people as to ill people.

Household wastes

•    Separate wet and dry waste.

•    Wet waste should be discarded daily.

General Cleaning Tips

Household Cleanliness

Washable Items Soaked with Blood & Body Fluids

•           Soak items (laundry, urinals/bed pans, dishes, etc.) contaminated with blood and other body fluids for 20-30 minutes on regular household bleach before cleaning.  Provide good ventilation when preparing solution.  Follow mixing instructions of the manufacturer.

•           To remove visible dirt use soap and water.

•           Rinse and dry.

•           Place in a clean cabinet, box, keepers, etc.

Environment

•           Apply environmental disinfectant to floor, tables, etc. at least 20 -30 minutes before manual cleaning.

•           Rinse and dry

Do you know that:

Chlorine bleach used as a powerful cleaner and whiter in the laundry room, bath, and kitchen can, if misused, cause inflammation of the sinuses and airways of the lungs.

Reminders:

•           Common cleaning products may be dangerous when mixed

-           Do not mix bleach and ammonia

-           Do not mix bleach and acids

-           Do not use two drain cleaners together, or one right after the other

•           Always look for active ingredient

Environmental disinfectants

•           Phenolics 

-           Lysol

-           Cresol

•           Hypochlorite/Chlorine releasing agent

-           Zonrox

-           Domex

-           Chlorox

Bad Effects of bleach and ammonia / bleach and acid

•           Coughing                 

•           Shortness of breath

•           Chest pain

•           Wheezing

•           Nausea

•           Watery eyes

•           Irritation to the throat, nose and eyes

•           Pneumonia and fluid in the lungs

Note:   This information is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advise, diagnosis or treatment.   If you or someone you know have any of the symptoms mentioned above, it is advisable to seek professional help.

For more information, please call:

HOSPITAL INFECTION CONTROL AND EPIDEMIOLOGY CENTER (HICEC)

Tel. nos.: (632) 988-1000 / (632) 988-7000 ext. 6323/6624

CENTER FOR PATIENT PARTNERSHIP

Tel. No. (632) 988-1000 / (632) 988-7000 Ext. 6444