Coronavirus (COVID-19): infection control and prevention measures

This page provides systematic reviews most directly relevant to the prevention of infection.

◆Identification and diagnosis

- Signs and symptoms to determine if a patient presenting in primary care or hospital outpatient settings has COVID‐19
- Antibody tests for identification of current and past infection with SARS‐CoV‐2
- Rapid, point‐of‐care antigen and molecular‐based tests for diagnosis of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection

◆Vaccination

- Immunity after COVID‐19 vaccination in people with higher risk of compromised immune status: a scoping review
- Interventions to increase COVID‐19 vaccine uptake: a scoping review
- Healthcare workers’ perceptions and experiences of communicating with people over 50 years of age about vaccination: a qualitative evidence synthesis
- Factors that influence parents' and informal caregivers' views and practices regarding routine childhood vaccination: a qualitative evidence synthesis

◆Interventions to reduce transmission in the community

- SARS‐CoV‐2‐neutralising monoclonal antibodies to prevent COVID‐19
- Non‐pharmacological measures implemented in the setting of long‐term care facilities to prevent SARS‐CoV‐2 infections and their consequences: a rapid review
- International travel‐related control measures to contain the COVID‐19 pandemic: a rapid review
- Universal screening for SARS‐CoV‐2 infection: a rapid review
- Quarantine alone or in combination with other public health measures to control COVID‐19: a rapid review
- Digital contact tracing technologies in epidemics: a rapid review
- Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses
- Hand cleaning with ash for reducing the spread of viral and bacterial infections: a rapid review
- Infection control strategies for preventing the transmission of meticillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in nursing homes for older people
- Measures implemented in the school setting to contain the COVID‐19 pandemic: a rapid scoping review
- Measures implemented in the school setting to contain the COVID‐19 pandemic
- Unintended consequences of measures implemented in the school setting to contain the COVID‐19 pandemic: a scoping review
- Workplace interventions to reduce the risk of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection outside of healthcare settings

◆Infection control in healthcare settings

- Personal protective equipment for preventing highly infectious diseases due to exposure to contaminated body fluids in healthcare staff
- Interventions to reduce contaminated aerosols produced during dental procedures for preventing infectious diseases
- Barriers and facilitators to healthcare workers’ adherence with infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines for respiratory infectious diseases: a rapid qualitative evidence synthesis
- Interventions to improve hand hygiene compliance in patient care
- Improving adherence to Standard Precautions for the control of health care‐associated infections
- Gloves, gowns and masks for reducing the transmission of meticillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the hospital setting
- Gowning by attendants and visitors in newborn nurseries for prevention of neonatal morbidity and mortality
- Cuffed versus uncuffed endotracheal tubes for neonates
- Behavioural interventions to promote workers' use of respiratory protective equipment
- Chlorhexidine bathing of the critically ill for the prevention of hospital‐acquired infection
- Use of antimicrobial mouthwashes (gargling) and nasal sprays by healthcare workers to protect them when treating patients with suspected or confirmed COVID‐19 infection
- Antimicrobial mouthwashes (gargling) and nasal sprays administered to patients with suspected or confirmed COVID‐19 infection to improve patient outcomes and to protect healthcare workers treating them
- Antimicrobial mouthwashes (gargling) and nasal sprays to protect healthcare workers when undertaking aerosol‐generating procedures (AGPs) on patients without suspected or confirmed COVID‐19 infection

 

 ◆Read more information about infection control and prevention measures on COVID-19, click here.