Last week, the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill changed to online learning after 177 students tested positive for COVID-19 after the first week of in-person classes, according to an article on the Infection Control Today website.

Community living environments, such as universities and skilled nursing facilities, can be vulnerable for the spread of respiratory infections. 

While healthcare facilities are not universities, there is a lesson to be learned about the rush to “return to normalcy,” the article said.

The challenge is balancing what we want versus what needs to be done for staff and patient safety. 

In addition to increased infection control, an important first step to reopening a building  is to develop a building water management plan that evaluates all the uses of water within the building and the potential health risks, including those from Legionella and lead, according to a FacilitiesNet article.

Read the full Infection Control article.