New CDC Data Show Alarming Increases in Healthcare-Associated Infections

Statement from the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)

 “The new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing dramatic increases in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) during 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, are quite troubling and must serve as a call to action. As a nation we must take significant efforts to bolster our infection prevention and control programs throughout the healthcare continuum."

“The unfortunate reality is that in one year we lost nearly a decade of progress against HAIs like central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and ventilator-associated events. We now have an opportunity to use this data and take action to invest in our public health infrastructure, expand our nation’s infection prevention and control workforce, and put infection preventionists – specialists who are trained and certified to prevent infections — at the center of these efforts."

“The new report highlights the need for healthcare facilities to strengthen their infection prevention programs and support them with adequate resources so that they can handle emerging threats to public health, while at the same time ensuring that gains made in combatting HAIs are not lost.” 

Read the entire statement from APIC President Ann Marie Pettis.

The mission of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is to advance the science and practice of infection prevention and control. APIC’s nearly 16,000 members develop and direct infection prevention and control programs that save lives and improve the bottom line for healthcare facilities. APIC advances its mission through patient safety, education, implementation science, competencies and certification, advocacy, and data standardization.