Winter guidance created to support health and care workers

The National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM) has been updated to include guidance on winter respiratory infections and infection prevention and control in health care settings.

This covers a variety of winter viruses and replaces the COVID-19 guidance first published in October 2020. The key changes include:

• A move from the three distinct COVID-19 care pathways to a streamlined respiratory and non-respiratory approach.
• Return to Standard Infection Control Precautions (SICPs) and transmission based precautions.
• An algorithm to support placement of service users within health and care settings.
• Respiratory screening questions and ongoing rapid testing to include COVID-19 and other respiratory pathogens.

The guidance recognises the likelihood of a surge in other respiratory viruses in addition to COVID-19 over the winter season. It’s in place to support health and care settings when an increase in cases of respiratory viruses impacts the service flow and delivery.

We ensured the guidance was in place to help minimises the risk and harm to staff, as well as service users and visitors. It also prepares for an increase in service demands and we’ll review it regularly and adapt for use on an annual basis.

Find the guidance on our website and please familiarise yourself with the key changes.