Virginia Infection Prevention & Control Training Alliance (VIPTA)

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Infection Prevention Rapid Resources

The Virginia Department of Health HAI/AR Program partnered with CDC’s Project Firstline to create a series of Infection Prevention Rapid Resources to get you the most critical information fast. 

  • Infographics that have the most critical information to get started 
  • Links to additional expert resources to expand your knowledge 

Ways to Share This Resource  

  • Easily match the correct resource level to your target audience 
  • Available topics include Candida auris, norovirus, and flu     

Target Audience: Essentials to Foundational IPC education levels 


Guidance & Regulation Updates

VIPTA members track guidance and regulation resources to share source documents that guide infection prevention and control practices for public health staff and clinical and non-clinical healthcare personnel.

The date of the regulation or guidance update is included in each post.  Please check linked content to be sure it is the most up to date and recommended practice.

H5N1 Bird Flu: Current Situation Summary (5/24/2024)
CDC
Any Practice Setting
Emergency Preparedness & Operations
Surveillance
H5 bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows with two cases of H5 in U.S. dairy workers. While the current public health risk is low, CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures. CDC is using its flu surveillance systems to monitor for H5N1 activity in people.
Updates on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (5/20/2024)
FDA
Department of Health
Surveillance
FDA is providing routine updates on avian influenza and the ongoing work to ensure continued effectiveness of the federal-state milk safety system.
Health Advisory: Meningococcal Disease Cases Linked to Travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA): Ensure Pilgrims are Current on Meningococcal Vaccination (5/20/2024)
CDC
Acute Care Hospital
Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care
Department of Health
Mobile Clinic
Pediatric / NICU
Emergency Preparedness & Operations
Surveillance
Vaccination
Since April 2024, 12 cases of meningococcal disease linked to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) travel for Umrah have been reported to national public health agencies in multiple countries including the United States (U.S.). Healthcare providers in the U.S. should: Recommend quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccination for people considering travel to KSA to perform Hajj or Umah (pilgrims) in addition to routine meningococcal vaccination for adolescents and other people at increased meningococcal disease risk. Maintain a heightened index of suspicion for meningococcal disease. Immediately notify the local health department about suspected or confirmed cases of meningococcal disease. Consider postexposure prophylaxis.
Rapid Evidence Product: Active Infection Surveillance of Clostridioides difficile ( diff) and Multidrug-Resistant Organisms: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), and Candida auris (5/9/2024)
AHRQ
Acute Care Hospital
Department of Health
Nursing Home / Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)
Surveillance
A summary of relevant and recent literature on active surveillance strategies in patient populations to reduce infection transmission of Clostridioides difficile, MRSA, CRE, and Candida auris.
VDH: Reporting Adverse Events in Children Following Exposure to THC and CBD Containing Products (4/24/2024)
VDH
Acute Care Hospital
Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care
Department of Health
Pediatric / NICU
Surveillance

Image of Eva Anderson, VCU Health IP (left) and Ginger Vanhoozer, VDH IPC Educator (right).

Cuppa Tea with an IP

Let’s raise a mug and celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Virginia Department of Health’s Cuppa Tea with an IP weekly meeting! It’s been a year of forging connections and sharing knowledge among infection prevention pros, all thanks to Cuppa Tea. Inspired by the cozy chats over tea (or coffee!) between Ginger Vanhoozer from the VDH HAI & AR Program and Eva Anderson an IP at VCU Health (shoutout to Eva for the awesome name!), Cuppa Tea has become the go-to hangout for IP enthusiasts.

Forget stuffy office vibes—Cuppa Tea was designed to feel like a laid-back coffee shop catch-up. With tunes setting the mood before each meeting, you’ll feel the camaraderie and warmth that make sharing ideas a breeze. And can we talk numbers? In its debut year, Cuppa Tea drew in 1,397 attendees, with many making it a weekly tradition.

But Cuppa Tea isn’t just about the numbers—it’s about the positive vibes. It’s your weekly quick check-in for the latest infection prevention updates, a chance to pick up some educational nuggets, and a safe space for bouncing ideas off fellow IPs and VDH subject matter experts. Participants have called it “a fun and interactive way to stay in the loop,” “like catching up with old friends who know their stuff,” and “a breath of fresh air for IPs in Virginia.” With its easy-to-digest format and treasure trove of resources, Cuppa Tea has become a staple in the calendars of healthcare professionals across Virginia.

To grab your mug and join this group any Wednesday at 2pm, get your invite at the VDH HAI & AR Training and Education website or at the Cuppa Tea registration link. Here’s to another year of meaningful connections, shared insights, and many more cups of tea (or coffee) with colleagues and friends! Cheers to Cuppa Tea with an IP!


IPC Education & Training Library

Search the VIPTA library of curated infection prevention and control (IPC) education and training resources. The IPC Education & Training Resource Library includes state and national resources related to healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial resistance and/or IPC. Visit the VIPTA FAQ page to learn more about VIPTA library content.

 

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