COVID-19 infection prevention and control in long-term care facilities

Columbia Mailman School of Public Health’s Dr. John W. Rowe, Professor of Health Policy and Aging, is a member of a WHO Expert Panel on Care of the Elderly which just released the attached guidance for prevention and management of COVID-19 among elderly in long term care facilities. The paper that outlines the objective of WHO interim guidance on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) in Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCF) in the context of COVID-19 which is to prevent COVID-19-virus from entering the facility, spreading within the facility, and spreading to outside the facility.

The findings also provide:

  • Guidance on system and service coordination to provide long-term care and on protocols for infection prevention and control within Long Term Care Facilities, for example, with regard to visitor, employee hygiene;
  • advice on surveillances and early detection within facilities of COVID-19, emphasizing early detection of cases;
  • protocols for surveillance of employees and visitor screening; care for and confinement of residents with COVID-19;
  • use of personal protective equipment; and
  • cleaning measures for Long Term Care facilities.

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