Virginia Infection Prevention & Control Training Alliance (VIPTA)

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VIPTA is a statewide infection prevention and control education collaborative, led by the Virginia Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Group.  Through partnership, VIPTA curates IPC resources for Virginia’s healthcare, congregate care, and public health settings.

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Time to Fall in Love with Measles Prevention

This Valentine’s season is a good time to revisit one of infection prevention’s most reliable love stories: the partnership between measles vaccination and early public health response. 

In 2025, the United States saw the highest number of measles cases in more than 30 years, with more than 2,200 people sickened and three deaths reported. After decades of progress, measles is once again reminding us why consistent prevention efforts still matter. 

What to Expect: 

How to use it: 

  • Build a microlearning moment.
    Choose one resource per week to review briefly during staff meetings, huddles, or shift change to reinforce key prevention concepts without adding time burden. 
  • Strengthen onboarding and refreshers.
    Incorporate these resources into onboarding or annual education to reinforce measles prevention, vaccination importance, and early response expectations. 
  • Practice vaccine conversations.
    Pair the Measles Myths and Facts factsheet with role-play or discussion to help staff practice responding to common questions or misconceptions with clear, evidence-based messages. 

This Valentine’s Day, fall back in love with measles prevention and the tools that help keep everyone safer. 

Target Audience: Essential IPC Education Level 

Decorative Image from Canva

Guidance, Recommendations, & Regulatory 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.

CDC: Conjunctivitis (09/11/2026)
CDC
Any Practice Setting
The CDC recommends excluding healthcare personnel with suspected or confirmed infectious conjunctivitis, including epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC), from work for the duration of their symptoms. These recommendations emphasize strict hand hygiene, appropriate cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and shared medical equipment, and prompt identification and management of cases to prevent transmission and healthcare-associated outbreaks.
CDC: Viral Respiratory Infections (09/11/2026)
CDC
Any Practice Setting
The CDC provides updated recommendations for managing healthcare personnel exposed to or infected with viral respiratory infections, including work restrictions, symptom monitoring, and source control. Asymptomatic exposed personnel may continue working with source control through at least five days after their last exposure, while infected personnel should be excluded from work for at least three days and meet additional symptom-based return-to-work criteria, followed by source control through at least day seven.
CDC: Preventing Respiratory Infections in the Workplace (08/28/2026)
CDC
Any Practice Setting
The CDC provides recommendations to help employers prevent and respond to respiratory infections in the workplace through improved ventilation, engineering controls, environmental cleaning and disinfection, and policies that encourage sick employees to stay home.  These recommendations also emphasize using respiratory illness surveillance data to inform workplace prevention strategies, including masking and remote work, to reduce transmission and protect employee health.

Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA)

SHEA

Infection Prevention and Control of Candida auris in Pediatric Settings (6/23/2026) The guidance recommends identifying at-risk pediatric patients through targeted screening, using appropriate isolation and room-placement precautions, and coordinating closely with infection prevention and public health partners when Candida auris is suspected or confirmed. It also emphasizes prevention through meticulous hand hygiene, effective environmental cleaning and disinfection, and careful...

Celebrating Patty Bracy’s Creative Leadership in Infection Prevention Education

Patty Bracy, Infection Prevention and Control Nurse Manager at Eastern State Hospital, continues to raise the bar for engaging education in behavioral health settings. At the hospital’s Quality Expo, she showcased not only her expertise, but also her creativity and commitment to making infection prevention meaningful for every staff member.
Using the Expo’s Pi Day theme, Patty transformed infection prevention core concepts and data into an interactive learning experience. Staff from nursing, administration, central office, IT, environmental services, and physicians visited Expo stations, collecting stickers that earned them pie and coffee.
Patty’s display blended clear, relevant data with hands-on activities covering hand hygiene, N95 fit testing, isolation precautions, mask types, regulated medical waste disposal, and distinguishing urinary tract infections from asymptomatic bacteriuria. She incorporated puzzles, question cards, and other bite-sized learning tools that made complex topics approachable. The board was so effective that it’s now being used for roving education throughout the hospital.
Attendees stayed engaged and asked thoughtful questions, proof that her approach resonated. Patty shared how much she enjoys her role and collaborating across departments, and with the support of her leadership, continues to grow professionally, recently earning her LTC-CIP certification!

Tools and Tips to Get Started
Patty’s Go-To Resources

Patty’s Tips to Get Started

  1. Choose a theme that’s fun, timely, or relevant to your audience.
  2. Pair data with interaction – puzzles, quizzes, stickers, or small challenges keep people moving and learning.
  3. Use bite-sized education so staff can engage quickly without feeling overwhelmed.
  4. Invite multiple departments to create a sense of community and shared purpose.
  5. Repurpose your materials for ongoing education after the event.

IPC Education & Training Library

Search the VIPTA library of curated infection prevention and control (IPC) education and training resources. The IPC Education & Training Resource Library includes state and national resources related to healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial resistance and/or IPC. Visit the VIPTA FAQ page to learn more about VIPTA library content.

 

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