Questions & Answers

What are the flu indicators and where are they from?

Key Flu Indicators

Each week CDC analyzes information about influenza disease activity in the United States and publishes findings of key flu indicators in a report called FluView. During the week of August 9-15, 2009, a review of these key indictors found that influenza activity had decreased slightly in the United States from the previous week. However, there were still higher levels of influenza activity than is normal for this time of year. Below is a summary of the most recent key indicators:

  • Visits to doctors for influenza-like illness (ILI) were highest in February during the 2008-09 flu season, but rose again in April 2009 after the new H1N1 virus emerged. Current visits to doctors for influenza-like illness are down from April, but are higher than what is expected in the summer.
  • Total influenza hospitalization rates for adults and children remain low and are well below the seasonal winter-time average of the last four years.
  • The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) was low and within the bounds of what is expected in the summer.
  • Most state health officials are reporting local or sporadic influenza activity. Two states are reporting widespread influenza activity at this time. Any reports of widespread influenza activity in August are very unusual.
  • Almost all of the influenza viruses identified were the new 2009 H1N1 influenza A viruses. These 2009 H1N1 viruses remain similar to the viruses chosen for the 2009 H1N1 vaccine and remain susceptible to antiviral drugs (oseltamivir and zanamivir).
  • Use waterless sanitizers or keep washing hands with soap water.

 

 

The Discovery Medical No Touch Dispenser Addresses New CDC Drafted Guidelines

The Discovery Medical No Touch Hand Hygiene Dispensing System Addresses New CDC Draft Guidelines

 

The Center for Disease Control has drafted new guidelines for hand-hygiene that include the use of alcohol based hand rubs, antibacterial soaps, and sanitizers.  The use of these products, together with a no touch dispensing system, have led to improved hand asepsis.  Update your infection control procedures with a Discovery Medical no touch hand-hygiene dispensing system for all your dispensing needs.  The Discovery Medical no touch hand-hygiene dispensing system reduces bacterial counts and increases compliance.  The Discovery Medical dispenser uses unique, state-of-the-art infrared laser technology to activate the dispensing of fluids and gels that improves the coverage in hand washing, sanitizing, employee or customer behavior, and overall compliance.  Aside from saving time, the Discovery Medical no touch hand-hygiene dispensing system is very convenient and can be installed anywhere, for a cost of pennies a day.

 

What’s New in Hand Hygiene? By University of Wales Institute Psychologist Debra Clayton and Infection Control Expert, Professor Christopher Griffith

 

The question that needs to be addressed is this: Why don’t people wash and dry their hands?  A study of this phenomenon by University of Wales Institute Psychologist Debra Clayton and infection control expert, Professor Christopher Griffith, reveals that knowledge, attitude and intent are not sufficient to drive hand-washing compliance.  The answer is to eliminate hand washing barriers and find, or improve upon, hand washing facilitators.  Bad hand washing habits are hard to change, however, cutting-edge hand washing and drying equipment can help shape new habits. 

 

Discovery Medical, Inc. has designed a totally automatic “Hands-Free” soap dispensing system, ES-800, that delivers soap, lotion, or anti-microbials automatically, reducing risk of cross-contamination.  Liquids are dispensed without touching dispenser levers, buttons, or pumps.

 

Discovery Medicals products are designed to reduce the risk of cross-contamination of germs and transmission of food borne pathogens.

 

Discovery Medical Web page http://www.discoverymedical.com/                                    

 

New CDC Facts

 

The CDC released new guidelines at the Infectious Diseases Society of America's annual meeting in Chicago. The new guidelines advocate a comprehensive approach to hand hygiene and recommend that healthcare facilities change to alcohol-based hand rubs, otherwise known as instant sanitizers, in place of soap and water, except in cases where hands are visibly soiled. The agency said healthcare personnel are more inclined to use alcohol-based hand rubs because they are more convenient, and recent studies indicate hand rubs are more effective at killing bacteria than washing with soap and water

Dr. Boyce, a co-author of the new CDC study, states that "there are over 30 studies conducted in the last 20 years that show the health care workers have just not been able to wash their hands as often as recommended. The report also states, in several recent studies conducted in health care settings, they have promoted the use of the alcohol-based hand rubs.  They have demonstrated that there’s increased adherence of health care workers to recommended hand-washing policies."

The CDC estimates that nearly 2 million patients a year gets an infection in U.S. hospitals and about 90,000 die as a result. The CDC guideline on hand-hygiene has not been revised since 1985, and it replaces 1995 guidelines developed by the Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

 

Infection Control Cost Savings Calculator

 

    Facility

Infection

Rate

Per 1,000 days

Annual

Infections

#

(cost)

  Hand Hygiene Program Success

     (% of all infections prevented)

 

5%

 

10%

 

15%

 

20%

2

73

($80,300)

4

$4,400

7

$7,700

11

$12,100

15

$16,500

3

110

($121,000)

6

$6,600

11

$12,100

17

$18,700

22

$24,200

4

146

($160,600)

7

$7,700

15

$16,500

22

$24,200

29

$31,900

5

183

($201,300)

9

$9,900

18

$19,800

27

$29,700

37

$40,700

                       

                        Example assumes a 100 bed  facility, fully occupied, and an average infection cost of $1,000