Clinical Update COVID

There have been questions raised by healthcare staff and staff groups in relation to the IPC precautions recommended within the national guidance and we would like to reiterate to staff the measures being taken and that must continue to ensure safety.

The NASIPCG is made up of the Heads of IPC from all UK Ambulance Services and represents the Ambulance sector within the National IPC Cell, which is responsible for the development and review of the National IPC Guidance. The IPC cell consists of IPC specialists from Healthcare and Public Health across the four nations, and currently meets weekly to review the latest evidence and guidance.

Transmission modes
There have been questions raised about whether COVID-19 is spread via airborne transmission, the current position within national and international guidance is that COVID-19 is predominately spread via the droplet/ contact route. It is important to understand that the presence of aerosols is not confirmation of the presence of viable pathogens. Some of this originates from terms that have become widely used and often over simplified, for example aerosols and aerosol generating procedures (AGP). AGPs are procedures which not only have the potential to generate aerosols, but also, and more importantly are associated with an increased risk of infection. It is acknowledged that when we breath, talk, cough etc. respiratory particles of varying sizes are produced ranging from aerosols to large droplets. Although, these respiratory droplets are produced, transmission is dependent on the viable infectious dose carried within these particles.

You can read more in the document below.

Published 17 March 2021