Face masks have played a crucial role in reducing COVID-19 transmission in hospitals, but clinical and infection control experts are not convinced the pandemic has set a new precedent for widespread use of facial coverings in healthcare settings. 

The U.S. healthcare industry would benefit from investing in infection prevention in control, especially in light of the missteps from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Devin Jopp, EdD, CEO of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control & Epidemiology, wrote for Forbes Oct. 5.

Indianapolis-based Riley Hospital for Children is preparing for a rise in respiratory syncytial virus cases by adjusting visitation policies and expanding its pediatric intensive care unit, WishTV reported Oct. 5.

Hospital floors and shoes could be an overlooked source for dissemination of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other healthcare-associated pathogens, according to a study performed at a VA hospital in Ohio. 

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology urges all infection preventionists to maintain mandatory mask requirement policies for all healthcare employees in patient care areas despite the CDC's recent guidance shift.

The CDC dropped its universal masking guideline for healthcare workers after a weeklong slowdown in COVID-19 hospitalizations and nursing home infections nationwide, CBS News reported Sept. 23.

Members of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurtiy issued draft recommendations urging the federal government to tighten its policies on experiments involving possibly dangerous viruses and other pathogens, The Washington Post reported Sept. 21. 

Ben Taub Hospital, one of Houston-based Harris Health System's facilities, detected Legionella bacteria in its water supply, KHOU 11 reported Sept. 14.

Cleveland Clinic on Sept. 13 lifted COVID-19 screenings, set visiting hours and visitor limits across all of its U.S. locations. 

New Hampshire hospitals have the highest rate of abdominal surgery surgical site infections in the country, while hospitals in Delaware have the lowest, CDC data shows. 

Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic is ending routine COVID-19 tests before surgeries and other procedures beginning Sept. 12 at the Mayo Clinic Health System and Rochester, Minn., campus, KIMT3 reported Sept. 7.

Researchers have developed a mobile app that uses artificial intelligence to identify people with COVID-19 infections based on the sound of their voices.

Nebraska hospitals have the highest rate of colon surgery surgical site infections in the country, while hospitals in Wyoming have the lowest, CDC data shows. 

While droplet or airborne COVID-19 transmission while changing linens is possible, the risk is low for clinicians, a study published Sept. 2 in Nature suggested.

Here are eight studies on infection control that Becker's has covered since July 12: 

Smaller community hospitals have been most affected by the COVID-19-related uptick in healthcare-associated infections, a study published Aug. 23 in Clinical Infectious Diseases found.

The prevalence of Clostridioides difficile infections decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but inpatient mortality and treatment costs went up, a study published Aug. 25 in Open Forum Infectious Diseases found.

Standard surgical masks don't fully seal around a person's face, allowing for more participle exposure. But simply adding two rubber bands may improve the seal and offer N95 respirator-level protection, according to researchers at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor. 

Misuse of gloves may have increased rates of hospital-acquired infections during COVID-19, a report published Aug. 29 in Nursing Times found.

Vermont hospitals have the highest catheter associated urinary tract infection rate in the country, while hospitals in Washington, D.C., have the lowest, CDC data shows.