Winter Reminder: Ice Safety Goes Beyond the Sidewalk

Winter means watching your step outside, scanning sidewalks and parking lots for patches of ice. But in healthcare settings, ice deserves just as much caution indoors as it does outdoors. From ice machines to scoops and storage bins, ice can become a hidden source of germs if it’s not handled carefully.

The CDC Project Firstline “Think Twice About Ice” micro-learn offers an easy-to-use training resource with a facilitator discussion guide and an educational handout.

How to use it

Tie-in to Facility Protocols: Connect the micro-learn’s points to your facility’s infection control policies. For example, clarify who is responsible for cleaning and maintaining ice machines and how often equipment should be disinfected.
Post the Job Aid: Print the one-page job aid and place it on breakroom boards, near staff lounges, or by ice machines. Visual reminders reinforce key actions like washing hands before handling ice and using clean scoops and containers.

Target Audience: Essential IPC Education Level

Guidance & Regulation Updates

VIPTA members track guidance and regulation resources to share source documents that guide infection prevention and control practices for public health staff and clinical and non-clinical healthcare personnel.

The date of the regulation or guidance update is included in each post. Please check linked content to be sure it is the most up to date and recommended practice.

VDH: Clinician Letter – Measles Outbreak Expansion and Back-to-School Immunizations (6/26/2026)

VDH

Acute Care Hospital

Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care

Department of Health

Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

Pediatric / NICU

Emergency Preparedness & Operations

Vaccination

Clinician Letter: Measles Outbreak Expansion and Back-to-School Immunizations (6/26/2026) The Virginia Department of Health announced that the Buckingham County measles outbreak has expanded to Cumberland County. Review the expanded outbreak vaccination recommendations, encourage patients to stay up to date on immunizations before the school year, and immediately report suspected or confirmed measles cases to your local health department.

VDH: Clinician Letter – Public Health Updates on Measles, Ebola Preparedness, and Travel-Associated Illnesses (6/03/2026)

VDH

Acute Care Hospital

Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care

Department of Health

Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

Pediatric / NICU

Emergency Preparedness & Operations

Vaccination

Clinician Letter: Public Health Updates on Measles, Ebola Preparedness, and Travel-Associated Illnesses (6/03/2026) This clinician letter provides updates on rising measles activity, Ebola preparedness, and travel-associated illnesses. Protect patients and staff by maintaining a high index of suspicion, assessing travel history, following infection control guidance, ensuring vaccination coverage, and promptly reporting suspected cases to your local health department.

APIC: New Toolkit to Address Problematic Manufacturer Instructions for Use for Non‑Critical Devices (5/08/2026)

APIC

Any Practice Setting

Department of Health

Quality Improvement

Regulatory Compliance

New Toolkit to Address Problematic Manufacturer Instructions for Use for Non‑Critical Devices: This toolkit provides practical strategies and resources to help healthcare professionals address problems with manufacturer instructions for use (IFUs) for non-critical medical devices. It supports infection preventionists in safely reprocessing devices when IFUs are unclear, incomplete, or difficult to follow. *Access this resource with a free APIC account.

Bug of the Month

The infection prevention team at Ballad Health continually seeks new and creative ways to educate more than 13,500 team members across 20 hospitals on important infection prevention topics. Supporting this effort is Krista Hess, an infection preventionist at Russell County Hospital in southwest Virginia, who leads the Bug of the Month Committee.

With full creative control, the committee develops a one-page educational flyer each month that is shared by leaders, highlighted during huddles, and featured in internal communication, such as Ballad Health News. Now celebrating its two-year anniversary, Bug of the Month continues to gain momentum. October’s “Say Boo to the Flu” achieved the highest engagement yet.

Over the past two years, the Bug of the Month Committee has spotlighted topics such as C. difficile, Candida auris, hand hygiene, and environmental cleaning. Congratulations to Krista Hess and the entire Ballad Health team for championing innovative approaches that keep team members informed on vital infection prevention topics!