The Relevance of the Fight Against Infectious Diseases and the Need to Introduce Promising Methods of Infection Control

Over the past 50 years, there have been notable advancements in clinical procedures, technology, and methodology in infection prevention and control programs. However, infection preventionists face several obstacles due to regulatory requirements, resource and research constraints, and new infectious dangers like the COVID-19 pandemic. This article offers advice and suggestions in 14 important areas. In the near future, American healthcare facilities ought to think about implementing these approaches. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a catastrophic effect on lives and livelihoods worldwide, is only one of several serious infectious disease epidemics that have occurred in the twenty-first century. Significant morbidity and mortality were caused by the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus outbreak, the 2009 swine flu pandemic, the 2012 Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus outbreak, the 2013–2016 West African Ebola virus disease epidemic, and the 2015 Zika virus disease outbreak, all of which spread internationally and infected people in several nations. The past few decades have also brought about an unprecedented period of demographic, technological, and climatic change: since 2000, airline flights have doubled, more people live in urban areas than in rural ones, population numbers are still rising, and climate change is becoming a greater threat to society. In this Review, we examine how much the recent global shifts have raised the likelihood of infectious disease outbreaks, despite the fact that access to healthcare and better sanitation have led to significant advancements globally.