COVID-19: Summary of infection prevention and control guidance and information for healthcare settings
Contents
Table 1: General
Table 2: PPE, ventilation and management of the environment
Table 3: Setting specific secondary care (paediatrics/maternity/haematology etc.)
Table 4: Primary care
Table 5: Care homes and social care
Table 6: Community settings and home care
Table 7: Ambulance service and first responders
Table 8: Dentistry and optometry
Table 9: Letters and alerts
Table 10: Vaccination
Table 11: Testing, contact tracing and outbreak investigation
Publications approval reference: 001559 / C0372
6 May 2022, version 10
Compendium of guidance and resources: COVID-19
The full suite of COVID-19 infection prevention and control guidance for healthcare settings can be accessed here: COVID-19: infection prevention and control (IPC) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Settings specific guidance is highlighted within relevant sections of this document.
Table 1: General
| Date | Title | Summary description | Author/owner |
| Live documents | National IPC Manual for England | An evidence-based infection control policy for use in NHS England. | NHS England and Improvement |
| 31/03/2022 | Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) | Sets out how to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in adult social care settings in England. This guidance applies from 4th of April 2022. | Department of Health and Social Care |
| 22/03/2021 | Supporting excellence in Infection prevention and control behaviours: implementation toolkit | Resources on leadership, awareness, morale, wellbeing, training and operational interventions to support excellence in IPC | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 08/02/2022 | Coronavirus » Every action counts (england.nhs.uk) | Resources on awareness, leadership, morale and wellbeing, training, and operational interventions. | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 15/03/2021 | Investigation and management of suspected SARS-CoV-2 reinfections: a guide for clinicians and infection specialists | Guidance is intended for clinicians (primary and secondary care) who may encounter individuals suspected to have been reinfected with SARS-CoV-2. | UK Health Security Agency |
| 13/04/2022 | Overview | COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19 | Guidance | NICE | This guideline covers the management of COVID-19 for children, young people and adults in all care settings. It brings together our existing recommendations on managing COVID-19, and new recommendations on therapeutics, so that healthcare staff and those planning and delivering services can find and use them more easily | National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) |
| 01/04/2022 | COVID-19: managing healthcare staff with symptoms of a respiratory infection – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) | Guidance for managing healthcare staff with symptoms of a respiratory infection including coronavirus (COVID-19), or a positive test result for COVID-19. | UK Health Security Agency |
| 01/04/2022 | COVID-19: guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable | Updated ‘Guidance for people previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19’. | UK Health Security Agency |
| 18/03/2022 | Coronavirus » Visiting healthcare inpatient settings during the COVID-19 pandemic (england.nhs.uk) | This guidance supersedes and replaces the NHS ‘visitor guidance’ dated 16 March 2021. | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 04/04/2022 | Risk assessments for staff | Information on vulnerable groups to inform risk assessments for staff during COVID-19. | NHS Employers |
| 14/04/2022 | Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) | Public health principles for reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, in the workplace. | UK Health Security Agency |
| Handling the deceased with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 – HSE | This guidance has been developed to ensure that people who come into contact with the deceased through work, or who work in services providing care for the deceased, are protected from COVID-19 infection. This may include people such as funeral directors, mortuary operators, medical practitioners and those involved in transporting the deceased. | Health and Safety Executive | |
| 09/02/2021 | Infection prevention and control and preparedness for COVID-19 in healthcare settings – sixth update (europa.eu) | This document aims to provide guidance to EU/EEA healthcare facilities and healthcare providers on infection prevention and control (IPC) measures for the management of suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in healthcare settings, including long-term care facilities. It also offers guidance on the management of specimens at laboratories in the EU/EEA. | European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control |
| 22/12/2021 | Coronavirus Act 2020: status – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) | A table setting out the status of each measure in the Coronavirus Act 2020. | Department of Health and Social Care |
| 28/01/2022 | Guidance for discharge and ending of isolation of people with COVID-19, third update | This document provides guidance for planning the discharge and ending of isolation of COVID-19 patients | European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control |
| 01/04/2020 | Recommendations to Member States to improve hand hygiene practices to help prevent the transmission of the COVID-19 virus (who.int) | WHO recommends member states provide universal access to public hand hygiene stations and making their use obligatory on entering and leaving any public or private commercial building and any public transport facility. It is also recommended that healthcare facilities improve access to and practice of hand hygiene. | World Health Organization |
| 01/12/2020 | Mask use in the context of COVID-19 | Interim guidance on the use of masks for reducing the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and practical considerations. | World Health Organization |
| 02/02/2021 | COVID-19: Occupational health and safety for health workers: interim guidance, 2 February 2021 (who.int) | Guidance on specific measures to protect occupational health and safety of health workers and highlights the duties, rights and responsibilities for health and safety at work in the context of COVID-19. | World Health Organization |
Table 2: PPE, ventilation and management of the environment
| Date | Title | Summary description | Author/owner |
| 31/08/2021 | (HTM 03-01) Specialised ventilation for healthcare buildings | These documents give comprehensive advice and guidance on the legal requirements, design implications, maintenance and operation of specialised ventilation in healthcare premises providing acute care. | Department of Health Estates and Facilities division |
| 08/01/2021 | Estates and Facilities Standard operating procedures for cleaning. | Updated estates and facilities standard operating procedures. Registration required | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 04/05/2021 | NHS England » National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2021 | The National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2021 encompass all cleaning tasks throughout the NHS regardless of which department is responsible for it. They are based around: being easy to use; freedom within a framework; fit for the future; efficacy of the cleaning process; cleanliness which provides assurance; and transparency of results. | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 29/10/2020 | Supporting fit testing: steps and actions to be taken where staff may require the use of FFP3 mask | Algorithm produced to help NHS organisations to identify the steps they should take where staff are to be deployed to clinical areas which require FFP3 respirator masks to be worn | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 29/9/2020 | Personal protective equipment (PPE) strategy: stabilise and build resilience | Policy paper on PPE strategy | Department of Health and Social Care |
| 23/03/2022 | COVID-19 waste management standard operating procedure V 6 | This document sets out the waste management approach for all healthcare facilities including primary care facilities and testing facilities in England and Wales during the COVID-19 outbreak. | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 02/07/2020 | Estates and facilities frequently asked questions (FAQs) V008
https://future.nhs.uk/connect.ti/system/text/register Register for Future NHS account |
FAQs regarding ventilation, air conditioning and fans | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 15/09/2021 | COVID-19: ventilation of indoor spaces to stop the spread of coronavirus | Guidance on the ventilation of indoor spaces to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). | UK Health Security Agency |
| 14/02/2022 | Technical specifications for personal protective equipment (PPE) | The technical and regulatory standards for PPE. | Cabinet Office and Department of Health and Social Care |
| 21/08/2020 | COVID-19: personal protective equipment use for non-aerosol generating procedures | Guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for non-aerosol generating procedures (APGs) | UK Health Security Agency |
| 21/08/2020 | COVID-19: personal protective equipment use for aerosol generating procedures | Guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for aerosol generating procedures (AGPs). | UK Health Security Agency |
| 09/04/2021 | Regulatory status of equipment being used to help prevent coronavirus (COVID-19) | Information on regulations which apply to devices and equipment including hand gels and PPE (personal protective equipment) | Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency |
| 01/10/2021 | Annex to Infection prevention and control during health care when coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is suspected or confirmed (who.int) | This document is an update of a guidance published on 12 July 2021, after the review of new scientific evidence on transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC). It contains updated recommendations on the use of masks and respirators for health workers providing care to suspected or confirmed COVID-19. | World Health Organization |
Table 3: Setting specific secondary care (paediatrics/maternity/haematology etc.)
| Date | Title | Summary description | Author/owner |
| 26/11/2021 | National guidance for the recovery of elective surgery in children | Evidence-based practice that will enable recovery of children’s elective surgery | Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health |
| 14/01/2022 | Recommendations to minimise risk of transmission of COVID-19 in UK adult haemodialysis units 14th January 2022.pdf (ukkidney.org) | Guidance from renal clinical reference group on minimising transmission in adult haemodialysis units. | The Kidney Quality Improvement Partnership
|
| 10/01/2022 | BAPM – COVID-19 pandemic: Frequently asked questions within neonatal services | RCPCH | A BAPM supplement to Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) | British Association of Perinatal medicine (BAPM) |
| 07/12/2021 | National guidance for the management of children with bronchiolitis during COVID-19 | Recommendations on the management of children with bronchiolitis and respiratory tract infections in hospital settings during COVID-19 are for clinicians. | Royal college of Paediatrics’ and Child Health |
| 01/04/2022 | Coronavirus » Supporting pregnant women using maternity services during the coronavirus pandemic: Actions for NHS providers (england.nhs.uk) | This document replaces ‘Framework to assist NHS trusts to reintroduce access for partners, visitors and other supporters of pregnant women in English maternity services’ | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 24/01/2022 | Coronavirus » Supporting patients of all ages who are unwell with coronavirus (COVID-19) in mental health learning disability autism (england.nhs.uk) | A compilation of guidance produced in collaboration with the Royal College of Nursing’s Mental Health Programme, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Unite in Health. | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 06/08/2020 | Mouth care for hospitalised patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 | This guidance outlines mouth care for hospitalised adults and children with confirmed or suspected coronavirus (COVID-19) who are non-ventilated, ventilated and those having step down or end of life care. | UK Health Security Agency |
Table 4: Primary care
| Date | Title | Summary description | Author/owner |
| 31/01/2022 | Updates and guidance for general practice | Regular updates to general practice regarding COVID-19. | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 14/04/2022 | New recommendations for primary and community health care providers in England | Guidance on face coverings and face masks in primary care. | UK Health Security Agency |
| March 2022 | Assessment of COVID-19 in primary care | A systematic guideline to assist in identifying and triaging patients presenting with potential COVID-19 | Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) |
Table 5: Care homes and social care
| Date | Title | Summary description | Author/owner |
| 31/03/2022 | Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) | Sets out how to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in adult social care settings in England. This guidance applies from 4 April 2022. | Department of Health and Social Care |
| 31/03/2022 | Infection prevention and control in adult social care settings – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) | Infection prevention and control (IPC) principles for adult social care settings in England, to be used with guidance on managing specific infections. This guidance applies from 4 April 2022. | Department of Health and Social Care |
Table 6: Community settings and home care
| Date | Title | Summary description | Author/owner |
| 12/04/2022 | People with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) | Guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19, or a positive test result for COVID-19. | UK Health Security Agency |
| 21/03/2022 | Preventing and controlling outbreaks of COVID-19: prisons and other places of detention | Information on operational requirements for prisons and other prescribed places of detention in the event of a coronavirus (COVID-19) incident or outbreak. | UK Health Security Agency |
| 01/12/2020 | Advice on the use of masks in the community, during home care and in healthcare settings in the context of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak (who.int) | This document provides updated guidance on mask use in health care and community settings, and during home care for COVID-19 cases. It is intended for policy makers, public health and infection prevention and control professionals, health care managers and health workers. | World Health Organization |
Table 7: Ambulance service and first responders
| Date | Title | Summary description | Author/owner |
| 30/11/2021 | Infection prevention and control for seasonal respiratory infections in health and care settings (including SARS-CoV-2) for winter 2021 to 2022 – Appendix for UK ambulance services | Infection Prevention and Control guidance for ambulance services. | UK Health Security Agency |
| 14/01/2021 | IPC Precautions during hospital handover delays | Guidance for Ambulance crews | Association of Ambulance Chief Executives |
Table 8: Dentistry and optometry
| Date | Title | Summary description | Author/owner |
| 14/04/2022 | COVID-19: infection prevention and control dental appendix | Additional IPC guidance for Dental Practitioners. | UK Health Security Agency |
Table 9: Letters and alerts
| Date | Title | Summary description | Author/owner |
| 14/04/2022 | C1630_Next-steps-on-IPC-Publication-of-revised-UK-Infection-Prevention-and-Control-IPC-Guidance-and-an-IPC-Man.pdf (england.nhs.uk) | This letter sets out our approach to delivering the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) advice in relation to Infection Prevention and Control and advises of the publication of updated UK IPC guidance for seasonal respiratory infections including SARS-CoV-2 and the National IPC manual for England. | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 05/03/2022 | COVID Virtual Ward Including: Supporting hospital discharge SOP: Covid Virtual ward COVID Virtual ward; pulse oximeter request proforma |
Letter and SOP to support the immediate roll out of the COVID “virtual ward” model | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 24/12/2020 | CAS Alert CEM/CMO/2020/043 | Immediate actions in response to SAR COV 2 virus new variants of concern | NHS England and NHS Improvement
Public Health England Department of Health and Social Care |
| 07/03/2022 | Implementing Phase 3 of the NHS response to the COVID-19 pandemic | Further to the letter of 31 July 2020 about the third phase of the NHS response to COVID-19, a range of supplementary materials to support implementation | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 31/07/2020 | Third phase of the NHS response to COVID-19 | Letter sent out to systems re next phase of NHS COVID-19 response | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 23/06/2020 | Central Alerting System (Reference CMO 2020 027) | Personal protective equipment and heat: risk of heat stress | Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) |
| 25/08/2021 | National Patient Safety Alert: Infection risk when using FFP3 respirators with valves or Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) during surgical and invasive procedures | This alert asks providers to revise procedures, purchasing processes, stock supply, checklists, and stock labelling around the use of these respirators to ensure they are not used during surgical and invasive procedures except in very specific circumstances set out in infection control guidance linked in the Alert | Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) |
| 14/01/2022 | Letter: Updated UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance – isolation | Letter outlining changes to the requirements for staff to self-isolate following a positive COVID-19 test result. | UK Health Security Agency |
Table 10: Vaccination
| Date | Title | Summary description | Author/owner |
| Coronavirus » Guidance for vaccination centres (england.nhs.uk) | Multiple resources and guidance documents | NHS England and NHS Improvement | |
| 15/01/2021 | Infection prevention and control (IPC) principles and procedures for COVID-19 vaccination activities. | IPC Aide Memoire | World Health Organisation |
| 01/03/2021 | COVID-19 vaccination: a guide for social care staff | Information for social care staff on COVID-19 vaccination. | Public Health England |
| June 2021 | Clinical guidance for healthcare professionals on maintaining immunisation programmes during COVID-19 | Guidance for healthcare professionals on maintaining immunisation programmes during COVID-19. | NHS England and NHS Improvement
UK Health Security Agency |
| 28/02/2022 | COVID-19: the green book, chapter 14a | Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination information for public health professionals. | UK Health Security Agency |
| 10/03/2022 | COVID-19 vaccination: information for healthcare practitioners | Guidance for healthcare practitioners about the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination programme. | UK Health Security Agency |
Table 11: Testing, contact tracing and outbreak investigation
| Date | Title | Summary description | Author/owner |
| 19/04/2022 | Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for adult social care services – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) | Outlines the COVID-19 testing available for staff, residents and visitors for all adult social care services. | UK Health Security Agency |
| 08/03/2022 | Guidance and Updates for Trusts; At risk patients | Letters outlining guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable individuals and actions for acute trusts. | NHS England and NHS Improvement |
| 13/08/2021 | Guidance for contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection who do not live with the person | Guidance for people who have been notified by NHS Test and Trace that they are a contact of a person who has had a positive test result for COVID- 19 and who is not from that person’s household. | Public Health England |
| Coronavirus (COVID-19): Getting tested | Guidance on coronavirus testing, including who is eligible for a test and how to get tested. | NHS England | |
| 29/03/2021 | COVID-19: guidance for sampling and for diagnostic laboratories – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) | Information for clinical diagnostic laboratories regarding safety, sampling and packaging specimens associated with COVID-19 | UK Health Security Agency |