What steps has the Welsh Government taken to stop hospital-acquired COVID-19 infections?
Preventing and limiting hospital-acquired, or nosocomial, COVID-19 infections is a priority for the Welsh Government.
Coronavirus is highly transmissible and consequently, as community prevalence has increased, nosocomial transmission has been evident in all Welsh health boards, acute hospitals and many care homes.
We identified the vital importance of preventing and limiting the spread of COVID-19 infections at an early stage in the pandemic and established the Nosocomial Transmission Group, jointly chaired by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Nursing Officer, in May 2020. Membership of the group is drawn from Welsh Government, Public Health Wales, health and social care, and professional organisations.
The group has developed and issued an extensive range of guidance with the intention of preventing nosocomial transmission of COVID-19, including implementing Infection Prevention and Control guidelines, use of Personal Protective Equipment, testing, cleaning standards, bed spacing, ventilation and environmental controls.
Government officials continue to work closely with health boards and Public Health Wales to ensure that any hospital outbreak is brought swiftly under control and to prevent further outbreaks from occurring.