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-- Infection Prevention revised January 27, 2021

Infection prevention and control involves evidence-based practices and procedures that can prevent or reduce the risk of transmission of microorganisms. Key components include:

The Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC) provides best practice documents and guidance regarding infectious disease identification, prevention and control to health care facilities in Ontario.

Access COVID-19 infection control related information and resources.

Hand hygiene

Hand washing is a simple and effective way to prevent infections. Hands should be washed any time you have contact with another person's blood, body fluids or broken skin.

Just Clean Your Hands

  • In Ontario the hand hygiene program for health care facilities is called Just Clean Your Hands.
  • Resources are available here: Just Clean Your Hands

At home, wash your hands:

  • before handling or eating food
  • after using the toilet
  • after sneezing or wiping your nose
  • whenever hands are dirty

It's easy to wash your hands. You can use soap and water and rub all surfaces of your hands vigorously for at least 15 seconds. If your hands don't have visible dirt on them, you can use an alcohol-based hand rub and rub it all over your hands for at least 15 seconds.

Downloadable hand hygiene materials:

Additional hand hygiene resources:

Routine practices and additional precautions

Routine practices are activities that you do to help reduce your risk of being exposed to blood, body fluids and non-intact (broken) skin of other people. By following routine practices, you help protect yourself and others from organisms and diseases that can be spread from person to person.

Downloadable routine practice materials:

Personal protective equipment:

Additional precautions signage:

Respiratory infection prevention and control:

Additional routine practices resources:

Cleaning, disinfection and sterilization

Cleaning is the physical removal of soil, dust and microorganisms by using water, detergents and mechanical action. Once an object is cleaned, it can be disinfected using an appropriate disinfectant while following the manufacturer's directions for concentration and contact time.

Sterilization is the elimination of all disease-producing microorganisms, including spores
(e.g. Clostridium and Bacillus species)

Cleaning and disinfecting resources:

Downloadable fact sheets

Immunization

Immunization throughout our lives makes our immune system stronger and helps prevent the spread of communicable diseases, such as influenza, diphtheria and measles.

Additional immunization resources:

Antimicrobial Stewardship

Antibiotics should be used wisely, as needed and as prescribed. Proper use of antibiotics is an important measure to prevent and control the development of antibiotic resistant organisms and Clostridium difficile.

Additional Resources:

Education and training

One of the core functions of infection prevention and control in both hospitals and non-hospital settings is to focus on strategies to protect clients/patients/residents, staff and others from exposures to infections.

One of these strategies is education and training of health care providers, clients, patients, residents, and their families. Public Health Ontario has developed Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) online learning courses included in the Resources section below.

Online learning resources:

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory disease caused by the SARS CoV-2 virus. For more information and resources on COVID-19, visit our COVID-19 website.

Additional COVID-19 resources:

For more information, call Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700.

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