International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW), established in 1986, highlights the importance of infection prevention and the crucial role that infection preventionists have in keeping our community safe and healthy. The infection prevention and control community protects us from surges in health care-associated infections, measles outbreaks, flu, COVID-19, and so many other day-to-day infectious battles.
The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) has spearheaded this annual effort to highlight the significance of infection prevention among health care professionals, administrators, legislators, and consumers. This year’s theme – “The Future Is Infection Prevention: 50 Years of Infection Prevention” – highlights the decades of infection prevention throughout APIC’s 50 years and inspires the next generation of IPs to join the fight.
Over the years, this week of recognition has vastly expanded to every corner of the globe, including Australia, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. As the reach of IIPW widens, more patients benefit from safer health care practices and a reduced threat of health care-associated infections.