Infection Control in Institutions

Wash your hands to stop the spread of germs. Handwashing is the simplest and most important thing that you can do to reduce the spread of germs. It keeps you and your clients from getting sick.

Handwashing resources:

Facts about handwashing

Handwashing steps

• Version 1: English | French
• Version 2: English | French
• Version 3: English | French

Hand sanitizing steps 

• Version 1: English | French
• Version 2: English | French
• Version 3: English | French

Keeping Hands Clean video

Hand sanitizer video

Visitors information during outbreaks

Outbreaks can be hard for the people that live there, the people that work there and yourself. The people that live there have an increased risk of getting an infection and it can be deadly for them. You should follow the steps below to stop the spread of the outbreak.

Do not visit if you are sick or have:

• Fever
• Cough
• Sneezing
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Runny stool
• Vomiting
• Nausea

Do not bring in your children

Get your flu shot every year

You can spread the flu to others even before you know you have it.

Wait to visit until after the outbreak is over

You can catch the illness and pass it to other people in the centre.

Clean your hands

Clean your hands or use hand sanitizer.

When to clean your hands:

• As soon as you get there and leave.
• When you go into the person's room.
• Before you touch the person.
• When you leave the person's room.
• After you use the washroom.

If the person you are visiting is sick, only visit in their own room

• Do not take the person outside of their room.
• Sometimes the centre will ask you to wear gloves, gowns, masks or eye-wear when going into the room.

Only visit the one person and then leave right away

Follow all the directions the centre gives you

• The centre is doing things to shorten the time it is in outbreak.
• What they want you to do may change, so always check.
• Read all the signs and posters that are up.

Reportable diseases

Diseases of public health significance

Diseases of public health significance notification form

Visit our Reportable Diseases page for more information.

Helpful resources

• Video: Learn how to properly put on and remove personal protective equipment
• Just clean your hands (JCYH)
• Cover your cough poster English | French
• Best Practices documents (PIDAC)
• Additional precautions signage and lanyard cards (Public Health Ontario)
• Core competencies
• Laboratory services - test directory (Public Health Ontario)