Keeping Classrooms Cleaner: Infection Preventionists Step into Schools

Working in infection prevention and control (IPC) has traditionally meant focusing on hospitals, surgical centers, and long-term care. But over the past few years, some IPC professionals have been drawn to a very different environment: schools. With young children at home and firsthand experience of how easily illnesses leap from classrooms to living rooms, some infection preventionists see schools as a critical but often overlooked battleground. The COVID-19 pandemic put these issues into stark relief. Mask mandates, classroom closures, and strict hand hygiene protocols briefly pushed infection prevention into the school spotlight. Yet as time passed, many precautions faded, even though the need for strong IPC practices remains.

To learn more, Carole W. Kamangu, MPH, RN, CIC, contributing editor for Infection Control Today® (ICT®) spoke with Jordan Bastian, MPH, CIC, infection prevention consultant for MK Infection Solutions, at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control