Page 51 - policy and procedure infection control

Policies and Procedures on Infection Control

3.5.5 Setting up temporary quarantine areas in outbreak situations requiring airborne
isolation
When choosing areas in the hospital for this purpose, chose preferably, rooms with
individual ventilation systems (e.g: room or window fan coil units that do not re-circulate
to other parts of the building).

However the air should flow from corridors (cleaner areas) into isolation rooms (less
clean areas) to prevent spread of contaminants to other areas. Inside the room the airflow
must be from health care worker to the patient. In existing areas that are totally
mechanically ventilated with central ventilation systems, the installation of additional
controls/modifications may be the best choice.
Opening windows in a mechanically-ventilated room not designed for natural ventilation
is undesirable because the system is not designed for this practice and the ventilation
features are not predictable. The modifications that can be carried out depend on the
ventilation characteristics of the existing patient room and needs to discuss with the
engineering support services.

40 Ministry of Health Malaysia