What's Hot in Infection Prevention and Control

Question 1

What is the dominant mode of transmission for covid-19?

Answer 1

aerosol inhalation

Question 2

What is a aerosol?

Answer 2

collection of solid or liquid particles of any size suspended in a gas

Question 3

What is VOC?

Answer 3

variant of concern
changes that have a clinical or public health significance

Question 4

What were the 3 VOC’s in 2021?

Answer 4

alpha
delta
omicron

Question 5

What did all 3 VOCs have in comparison to ancestral strains?

Answer 5

increased transmissibility
significantly greater viral aerosol shedding

Question 6

What was the method?

Answer 6

viral RNA detected and quantified per ml of saliva

aliquots sent for viral culture

Question 7

Where were the swabs taken?

Answer 7

phone swabs (measure of fomite contamination)

mid turbinate swab

Question 8

What groups can shed infectious covid-19?

Answer 8

fully vaccinated and booster

Question 9

What VOC was the highest exhaled breath aerosol and the most superspreaders?

Answer 9

omicron

Question 10

What swab did not recover the infectious virus?

Answer 10

phone

Question 11

What does a fine aerosol fraction of less than 5 microns have greater number of?

Answer 11

greater number of viral particles based on RNA copy

Question 12

What does evolution favour?

Answer 12

variants with high viral aerosol shedding

Question 13

What was omicron spread probably due to?

Answer 13

immune evasion and high viral shedding

Question 14

What should you assume during dental treatment?

Answer 14

assume all infections and treat all patients to the same high standad

Question 15

What should standard precautions include?

Answer 15

safe ventilation

Question 16

What were respiratory pathogens thought to be spread through?

Answer 16

droplets - fomites and direct contact

Question 17

What can respiratory droplets remain?

Answer 17

suspended in air (airborne) independant of diameters

Question 18

Where is transmission of SARS-CoV-2 more likely?

3 C’s

Answer 18

where the 3 c’s are present
closed settings
close contact
crowding

Question 19

How often should the dental surgery be ventilated?

Answer 19

10 air changes per hour

Question 20

What level in the hierarchy of control can be easily adapated?

Answer 20

engineering control via dam, aspiration, ventilation

Question 21

What value should CO2 be maintained under?

Answer 21

800ppm (10-15L/s/person)

Question 22

What should ventilation be practised alongside?

Answer 22

SICPs measure