COVID-19 - clinical procedures to minimise infection risk
Preventing infection
a) Protecting yourself and others
Some health services are recommending that Healthcare workers who have returned from any higher risk country should be advised not to undertake work in a health care or residential care setting for 14 days since leaving the high-risk country.
Implement basic infection control measures including hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette (regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing), and environmental disinfection. In suspected cases, using gloves, eye protection, appropriate face mask, disinfecting equipment in the office when in contact with bodily fluids, such as tears, can help prevent infection. It is important to proactively reinforce such infection mitigation techniques with doctors and staff, no matter the size of the office. Unfortunately, it is becoming apparent that patients may be infectious to others before they experience symptoms of infection themselves.
b) Protecting your work environment/clinic
After attending a suspected or confirmed case perform cleaning of the room as follows:
Specialised equipment:
Slit lamps, tonometer, contact lenses pinhole occluders or any other equipment that has come into close contact with the patient or mucosal surfaces should be cleaned with alcohol wipes or chlorine dioxide disinfectant immediately after seeing a suspect or confirmed case.
Disinfect all surfaces patients may have come in contact with, including door handles and frames, equipment, chin rests, chair etc as per other virulent diseases (such as viral conjunctivitis).
Examination room and communal areas in clinic cleaning:
If there has been a suspect or confirmed case, seen in the clinic cleaners should observe contact and droplet precautions and don PPE. Clean frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, bedrails, tabletops, light switches in clinic and communal areas.
A combined cleaning and disinfection procedure should be used, either 2-step – (i.e. detergent clean, followed by disinfectant); or 2-in-1 step - using a product that has both cleaning and disinfectant properties. Hospital-grade, TGA-listed disinfectant that is commonly against norovirus is suitable, if used according to manufacturer’s instructions.
a) Protecting yourself and others
Some health services are recommending that Healthcare workers who have returned from any higher risk country should be advised not to undertake work in a health care or residential care setting for 14 days since leaving the high-risk country.
Implement basic infection control measures including hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette (regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing), and environmental disinfection. In suspected cases, using gloves, eye protection, appropriate face mask, disinfecting equipment in the office when in contact with bodily fluids, such as tears, can help prevent infection. It is important to proactively reinforce such infection mitigation techniques with doctors and staff, no matter the size of the office. Unfortunately, it is becoming apparent that patients may be infectious to others before they experience symptoms of infection themselves.
b) Protecting your work environment/clinic
After attending a suspected or confirmed case perform cleaning of the room as follows:
Specialised equipment:
Slit lamps, tonometer, contact lenses pinhole occluders or any other equipment that has come into close contact with the patient or mucosal surfaces should be cleaned with alcohol wipes or chlorine dioxide disinfectant immediately after seeing a suspect or confirmed case.
Disinfect all surfaces patients may have come in contact with, including door handles and frames, equipment, chin rests, chair etc as per other virulent diseases (such as viral conjunctivitis).
Examination room and communal areas in clinic cleaning:
If there has been a suspect or confirmed case, seen in the clinic cleaners should observe contact and droplet precautions and don PPE. Clean frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, bedrails, tabletops, light switches in clinic and communal areas.
A combined cleaning and disinfection procedure should be used, either 2-step – (i.e. detergent clean, followed by disinfectant); or 2-in-1 step - using a product that has both cleaning and disinfectant properties. Hospital-grade, TGA-listed disinfectant that is commonly against norovirus is suitable, if used according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- The virus that causes COVID-19 is very likely susceptible to the same alcohol- and bleach-based disinfectants that ophthalmologists commonly use to disinfect ophthalmic instruments and office furniture. To prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission, the same disinfection practices already used to prevent office-based spread of other viral pathogens are recommended before and after every patient encounter.
COVID-19 resources for health care professionals can be found here:
Australian Government Department of Health
Australian Government Department of Health