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INFLUENZA

Influenza is a serious disease that rapidly affects the whole body. It is much worse than a bad cold.

It is easily spread from person to person and is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in New Zealand every winter. The main dangers are associated with complications such as pneumonia.

Annual immunisation is the best protection against this disease. The vaccine cannot give a person influenza because it is not a live vaccine.

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P.O Box 99-101
Newmarket
Auckland
New Zealand

Ph: 021 270 2795

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VS Consultancy Services offers service provision in line with established need as documented within the New Zealand Health Strategy.

Disease Information
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Infection Prevention & Control

The prevention of infection is a key hygiene concept and is integral to the health of all people. Controlling infection when it does develop prevents spread of the infection to others. Nowhere is the prevention and control of infection more important than in healthcare facilities.

Most healthcare-associated pathogens are transmitted from one person to another via the hands of healthcare workers, and therefore effective Hand Hygiene is “the single most important means of preventing the spread of infection” (*Wenzel, R (1993) Prevention & Control of Nosocomial Infections 2nd edition. pg 75). Other important but simple infection prevention measures include adherence to Standard Precautions and immunisation. International guidelines to assist in policy development can be found by clicking here.

Book now for the Infection Prevention & Control Seminar or Use the e-mail envelope on the right to reply.

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In New Zealand, all health and disability services are required to comply with the New Zealand Infection Control Standard (NZS 8142:2000) as part of their certification requirements by 1 October 2004. This includes having an effective Infection Control Programme within healthcare facilities.

Hand Hygiene

Over 150 years ago, Ignaz Semmelweis demonstrated that infection-related mortality could be reduced when healthcare personnel washed their hands. The same is still true today. (Newsom SW. Pioneers in infection control. Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis. J Hosp Infect 1993;23:175-187).

Although the use of soap and water is the standard means of handwashing, alternative alcohol-based products for use in healthcare facilities are now available. Such products allow for effective application, fast drying and are easy to use as water is not required.

Standard Precautions

‘All situations, all patients/clients, all the time’ is the easiest way to remember when Standard Precautions should be used. Originally a response to the blood borne pathogen HIV, effective practice of standard precautions will prevent the spread of most diseases - the exceptions being those spread by airborne means such as tuberculosis (TB), chicken pox, measles; or by droplet spread such as influenza, whooping cough and meningococcal disease. Standard Precautions involves the wearing of protective attire and the use of barriers when potential contact with body fluids of any sort is anticipated.

Immunisation

It is important for healthcare workers to be immunised against common infectious diseases so that if they come into contact with such diseases, they do not spread them further. Immunisation against influenza - the flu injection - is available each Winter for the most likely strains that may be circulating. Immunisation is extremely important for children. The New Zealand immunisation schedule is available by clicking here.