Hand hygiene, linen and food services

Hand hygiene

Adequate hand hygiene is required at all times, including before, during and after the removal of PPE in the care of patients with VHF.

CDC and World Health Organisation guidance recommends the use of an alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) on gloves when caring for VHF patients and when taking off PPE.¹ This has been advised in the case of VHF to reduce the viral burden on gloves, to further reduce the likelihood of self-contamination when doffing PPE, and is especially relevant after handling body fluids.

Should the choice be made that ABHR is not to be used directly on gloves, hand hygiene practices must still ensure safety for the patient, particularly prior to a procedure, as well as for the HCW.

Double gloving is recommended as it provides an outer layer that allows for the removal of a heavily soiled glove during patient care and during the PPE removal sequence. Additional layers (that is, beyond double gloving), are not recommended as they may make the HCW less dextrous and undertaking tasks more difficult.

More information about the use of ABHR on gloves can be found at:

• CDC: Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers: PPE FAQs
• Hand Hygiene Australia: Ebola Virus Disease and Disinfection Of Gloved Hands

Linen

For linen disposal:

• use disposable linen and clothing, wherever possible. If ‘reusable’ linen is used, it is to be disposed of as clinical waste
• linen saturated with fluids should be double bagged with both bags knotted and placed into a leak-proof rigid clinical waste bin.

Food services

For food services:

• single-use crockery and cutlery should be used wherever possible
• meals should be taken into the patient’s room by HCWs caring for the patient
• all food waste, disposable crockery and cutlery must be disposed of as clinical waste.