Special Edition on Infection Prevention & Control | Page 6

from the editor healthcarehygienemagazine The ‘New Normal’ Promises to be as Challenging as the Old Whether we want it or not, a new normal has been foisted upon us, first by an emerging pathogen, and then by a political machine that is complicating determination of the truth around the threat that SARS-CoV-2 does and does not present. The moving target of what we know and what we have yet to learn – such as the early debate around face masks – is making it exceedingly difficult to choose a path forward and stick with it; however, it would seem that as long as the novel coronavirus is thought to be transmitted mainly by person-to-person contact, nationwide public health orders to limit person-to-person interaction and of guidance on personal protective practices are here to stay. Like it or not, stay-at-home orders, business closures, prohibitions against mass gatherings, use of cloth face coverings, and maintenance of a physical distance between persons is our new normal. It’s interesting to read about a survey of 4,042 adults over the age of 18, conducted among residents of the country as well as New York City and Los Angeles, to enable comparison of the two most populous cities in the U.S. with each other and with the nationwide cohort to determine attitudes, behaviors and beliefs relating to COVID-19. From their survey, Czeisler, et al. (2020) found that most respondents supported stay-athome orders and nonessential business closures (NYC 86.7 percent and LA 81.5 percent); reported always or often wearing cloth face coverings in public areas (NYC 86.7 percent and LA 89.8 percent); and believed that their state’s restrictions were the right balance or not restrictive enough (NYC 89.7 percent and LA 79.7 percent). Among the general population surveyed, the researchers found that 77.3 percent of respondents reported self-isolating, with 84.6 percent reporting this behavior in NYC and 83.0 percent in LA. Most respondents (79.5 percent) in the U.S. also reported the behavior of always or often keeping more than 6 feet apart from others, with higher percentages reporting this behavior in NYC (85.7 percent) and LA (82.6 percent). Always or often avoiding groups of 10 or more persons was reported by more than 85 percent of adults in the three cohorts. Approximately 90 percent of respondents reported having been in a public area during the preceding week; among those, 74.1 percent nationwide reported always or often wearing cloth face coverings when in public, with higher percentages reporting this behavior in NYC (89.6 percent) and LA (89.8 percent). Despite the opinions of these 4,042 adults surveyed, we see clashes over the wearing of PPE and the economy-tanking restrictions on business, and the pathos of the current political landscape aside, a new normal remains to be seen, although it is likely we will be taking precautions far into the fall. For infection preventionists (IPs) and all stakeholders in healthcare-acquired infection (HAI) prevention, a new slate of precautions is added onto an already near-impossible workload. And it is critical to remind ourselves not to let the obsession with SARS-CoV-2 take our sights off the pathogens of concern that preoccupied us pre-outbreak. That’s why we bring you this special edition, to see where we stand on HAI prevention progress, and to remind ourselves that improved hygiene fights old foes as well as new. The new normal promises to be as challenging as the old normal, as we strive to balance priorities and retain our grasp on prevention and control, no matter the bug du jour. Until next month, bust those bugs! Kelly M. Pyrek Editor & Publisher [email protected] Kelly M. Pyrek editor & publisher [email protected] A.G. Hettinger, CPA president & CFO Patti Valdez art director Linda Lybert business development consultant J. Christine Phillips customer service manager Send inquiries to: [email protected] Healthcare Hygiene magazine is published monthly by Keystone Media Inc. 8925 Ridgeline Boulevard, suite 106, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129. Free digital subscriptions available at www.healthcarehygienemagazine.com for U.S., Canada and other foreign subscribers. Copyright © 2019 Keystone Media Inc. All rights reserved. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising or editorial material. Advertisers, and/or their agents, assume the responsibility for all content of published advertisements and assume responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on the advertisement. Editorial contributors assume responsibility for their published works and assume responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on the published work. All items submitted to Healthcare Hygiene magazine become the sole property of Keystone Media Inc. Editorial content may not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. Reference: Czeisler ME, et al. Public Attitudes, Behaviors, and Beliefs Related to COVID-19, Stay-at-Home Orders, Nonessential Business Closures, and Public Health Guidance — United States, New York City, and Los Angeles, May 5–12, 2020. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Vol. 69. June 12, 2020. 6 IP&C Special Edition June 2020 • www.healthcarehygienemagazine.com