Infection control
A rough guide to infection control in care homes
Neil Emery, commercial director at cleaning chemicals manufacturer Clover Christeyns, explains the key issues in infection control in care homes and how to deal efficiently with pathogens as the sector gears up for post-Covid recovery
Infection control is not a new area of concern for care homes, far from it. It is the basis on which they are able to operate a safe, functioning and welcoming facility to cater to the needs of residents while providing a protected environment for staff and visitors. Clover Christeyns has been supporting
care homes for many years via our trusted partners, using expertise in application and practical training to pass on our wealth of experience in chemical hygiene and disinfection. As the care industry continues to cope
with a global pandemic and the aftermath of its implications across all communities, it is crucial that infection control measures are consistently adhered to in all aspects of care home operation, every day with every process. Firstly, let us take a closer look at the
causes of infection. An infection occurs when another organism enters the body, these organisms exist as viruses and bacteria.
Viruses
A virus is a microscopic parasite which can infect living organisms and cause disease. It can make copies of itself inside another organism’s cells. Viruses infect all types of life forms from animals and
plants to microorganisms. Generally, viruses are much smaller
than bacteria but that does not make them any less dangerous. Because viruses are not strictly alive, they can exist on surfaces for many weeks and this makes them difficult to control. Within the virus class there are two types: non-enveloped and enveloped. Non-enveloped viruses, such as norovirus, are composed of capsid protein and nucleic acid (DNA or RNA)
Until recently, not many products in the cleaning arsenal were accredited with BS EN 14476. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, however, has led to a focus on tests for this standard, originally developed for medical purposes
December 2021 •
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com
termed the nucleocapsid, which make up the infectious unit, or virion. Enveloped viruses, meanwhile, are composed of an envelope along with the nucleocapsid. A viral envelope is the outermost layer of many types of viruses, such as coronavirus or influenza, it protects the genetic material as it travels between host cells. The envelopes are typically
derived from portions of the host cell membranes but include some viral glycoproteins. It is these glycoproteins on the surface of the envelope that identify and bind to receptor sites on the host’s membrane, this fusing then leads to infection. A non-enveloped virus can survive
under harsh conditions, as they need to be made of sterner stuff, whereas enveloped viruses can lose infectivity if their envelope is impaired and they become more sensitive to environmental conditions.
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