Here is one by Marr & Tang
Their comment on the <5 >5 IPC paradigm is it defies physics.
Its from 2021 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34415335/
A simple one illustrating a critical error (also 2021)
Recognising its airborne has always been No 1 - unfortunately not for @WHO nor IPC
What cleaning air does / does not do - excellent mental model.
The one illustrates close space transmission. The use of the term 'close contact' is a misnomer - its a SPACE wherein transmission happens yet the actual mode of transmission is unknown - and crucially may not involve contact - close contact does not evidence droplets (@WHO)
And another one... explaining transmission
Here is one I did to illustrate what factors people were using to assess mask use (blue circle) and all the factors outside the circle that should have been considered.
Also my latest suggestion to omit using 1 word descriptors (airborne or droplet ) but to use a source - to - infection pathway model for evidenced transmission routes
[NB When you use this model contact is not the No 1 way to get an HAI]
So its the absence of mental models that is the problem. Its the @WHO and all IPC organisations who have failed to state its airborne when the evidence for droplets does not exist.
Its @WHO videos and tweets (still up) telling people its not airborne - sans evidence.
And another mental model illustrating how IPC has not stepped up to its responsibilities...
The @WHO and CDC, Dept of Health and noted guidance all have different places where droplets land - ridiculous.
This brilliant work is also from 2015,
IPC have no excuses - those who reviewed evidenced and determined 'its droplets' got it wrong.
Mental models will not solve this until IPC esp @WHO and UK stand up and say we were wrong.
@JOHNJOHNSTONED pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25816216/
Also, the @WHO must stop producing guidance until it ceases to mis-reference. An example from a 2022 doc.
2 references in support of HH being 'most effective' don't mention hand hygiene.
IPC must correct their physics defying statements
Mental models - yes - if evidenced
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The Pittet 2000 paper makes the infamous claim. "HH remains the single most important measure to prevent nosocomial infections" (NB not just transmission but infections). There is just 1 citation...
Is to Larson 1995 the APIC Guideline on hand washing and hand antisepsis.
In which there is no such claim...
The claim made is that handwashing can reduce patient morbidity and mortality from nosocomial infection.... 4 references supplied.
I continue to be disappointed in the guidance provided by national and international authorities to prevent transmission in healthcare settings...
Today its the CDC and influenza
🧵
I never like a guideline on a topic that says go somewhere else. Here the CDC has deferred to a new document.
The page indicates that for "different types of flu" there are different instructions. If true, this means transmission of "seasonal flu" is less important and will not get full protection... Best get that vaccine because the hosp is not applying full prevention precautions
Since the nonsense yesterday when a public health body erroneously stated that 80% of infections diseases are spread by contact....
I promised a thread....
Lets start with the @WHO Hand hygiene guideline
@LazarusLong13
In Section 9 of WHO HH guideline the relationship of HCAI and hospital pathogens is revealed
2 assertions are made
A) Semmelweis used an antiseptic and it reduced puerperal fever.
B) Substantial evidence for hand antisepsis reducing HCAI is contained in citations 58, 179, 180
Assertion A
Semmelweis did not use nor recommend an antiseptic. He recommended and used a disinfectant. Excerpt from his univ web site.
The procedure reduced PF but was intolerable & burnt HCWs' skin.
NB IS knew it was coming from the PM room and should have stopped PM visits
When you make a Whopper of a mistake, e.g., "airborne infections are spread by sprayed on droplets", those in charge of PH guidance should have immediately identified whether other similar errors in MoTs are present.
Consider this.
An outbreak of cryptosporidium... 1/x
As @UKHSA tell us (as well as all PH agencies)... its contact
Default to contact is what is accepted for most MoTs.
Now if they are wrong - then all advice on prevention is at least incomplete. So, is there evidence of airborne? 2/x
Well lookie here....
There appears at the least the plausibility - lets look inside 3/x
Thoughts from yesterday's @KnowlexUK conference
Its not 2020. It is more akin to when harms from, the likes of "passive smoke", "lack of seat belts" & "asbestos" became undeniable - although not visible to all.
There are significant, persistent and undeniable harms.
1/6
So where are we now, and where do we ?need to be to negate the harms
[starter for 10]
2/6
We will never get to where we need to be in one leap or by 1 action.
What is needed first?
Diagnose the problem and acknowledge the risks 3/6