Don’t take your eye off water safety during the outbreak

With the COVID-19 outbreak, and associated steps to ensure patient, staff, and visitor safety, currently likely to be uppermost in the minds of healthcare estates teams, Dr Susanne Surman-Lee, a State Registered Clinical Scientist, and director of independent public health microbiological consultancy, Leegionella Ltd, warns such personnel against any relaxation of stringent water safety policies and procedures in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

During the current COVID-19 crisis it is understandable that the routine management of water systems and associated equipment within buildings – including hospitals – may not be highest on the list of priorities for Estates and Facilities teams. However, there is a real risk that without effective water system management, we will be seeing outbreaks of waterborne infections, including Legionnaires’ disease and other waterborne pathogens, unless action is taken now. The European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Study Group for Legionella Infections (ESGLI) has produced additional guidance to prevent large outbreaks of waterborne infections, and ensure that patients are correctly diagnosed, by raising awareness and providing practical advice to manage the real risk caused by building water systems during the pandemic.

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