What type of precautions must be taken for infections like chicken pox?

Infections like chickenpox require airborne precautions because the virus that causes chickenpox can be transmitted through the air. Specifically, it spreads via respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and those droplets can linger in the air for an extended period. When a person breathes in these droplets, they can become infected.

Airborne precautions include specific measures such as placing the infected individual in a negative pressure room, ensuring staff and other individuals in proximity wear appropriate respirators, and limiting the movement of the infected person outside their room when possible. This meticulous approach is crucial in preventing the transmission of airborne viruses, not only protecting other patients and healthcare workers but also controlling outbreaks in healthcare settings.

In contrast, the other types of precautions listed—contact, droplet, and standard precautions—address different modes of transmission. For instance, contact precautions are essential for infections that spread through direct or indirect contact with the patient or their environment, while droplet precautions are for infections transmitted through larger respiratory droplets that do not remain suspended in the air. Standard precautions are the basic level of infection control applied to all patients but do not specifically address the unique airborne nature of diseases like chickenpox.