Infection control and prevention is critical. When implemented consistently and effectively, it reduces:


  • Death
  • Serious illness
  • Healthcare costs
  • Revenue loss

Infectious disease

As well as being the primary cause of admission for 8% of all hospital bed days (in 2010 in England) infectious disease accounted for:

  • 7% of all deaths
  • 4% of all potential years of life lost (to age 75)
  • A large proportion of sickness absence from work
Infectious Disease Stats
  • 7% of all deaths are accounted for by infectious diseases

  • 8% of the primary cause of admission of all hospital bed days (in 2010 in England) is infectious disease

  • 1 Billion Estimated cost of healthcare-associated infections to the NHS per year

Infectious disease in hospital and healthcare settings

In 2007, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections and Clostridium difficile (C-Diff) infections were recorded as the underlying cause of, or a contributory factor in, approximately 9,000 deaths in hospital and primary care in England.

Healthcare-associated infections are estimated to cost the NHS approximately £1 billion a year.

In addition to increased costs, each one of these infections means additional use of NHS resources, greater patient discomfort and a decrease in overall patient safety.

Economic impact of infectious disease

  • Infectious disease is a significant health and economic burden in the UK and annual costs of £30bn.
  • Health inequalities continue to be a significant contributory factor in poor health outcomes for those people in the lowest socio-economic groups.
  • Infections are responsible for a large proportion of sickness absence from work. Minor illness (such as respiratory or gastro-intestinal infections) is the most common reason for work absence, accounting for 27.4m days lost in 2013.
  • The UK economy entered a technical recession, after Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2020 saw a record fall of 20.4% due to Covid-19; this follows a fall of 2.2% during Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2020.
  • Monthly Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the UK rose by 8.7% during June 2020 but is still 17.2% below February 2020 levels.

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The Cost of Covid


The true cost of the Covid-19 virus will be far greater than the direct health costs of testing and treatment. The lasting indirect economic damage will be immense. Indirect costs are all of the additional costs associated with either being ill or the economic impact of behaviours adopted to avoid becoming infected


These include:


  • Reduced productivity due to employee absence.
  • Temporary closure of businesses deemed non-essential.
  • Impact on supply and demand.
  • Reduced spending
  • Decrease in consumption.
  • Reduced travel.
  • Reduced tourism.
  • Job losses.
holding hands

How to prevent infectious disease

A huge number of infections illnesses and deaths can be reduced by:

  • Washing your hands regularly
  • Clean surfaces regularly
  • Clean communal areas regularly
  • Carry out food preparation safely

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