Infection prevention and control: The prime protagonist against covid-19 in a healthcare setup

Objectives: The coronavirus disease has brought the whole world to a halt, not sparing any continent from its wrath. As it is spreading at a rapid pace, the vaccine and drug development process is yet to keep up with it and the only measure that seems to work is to prevent its transmission. Infection prevention and control is the frontline shield in containing this high and mighty virus until the treatment strategies are sorted out. This review is an attempt to provide relevant information from national and international guidelines for infection prevention and control of the current pandemic of COVID-19. Data Sources: All the relevant data published till 4^th May 2020 on COVID-19 has been systematically analyzed. PubMed, NCBI, WHO, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) databases and bibliographies of relevant studies have been included. Conclusion: The most important challenges associated with COVID-19 are pertaining to its diagnosis as well as preventing its spread. It is also crucial to maintain or expand healthcare facilities’ capacity for COVID-19. Infection prevention and control is a major player in such a scenario to contain the pandemic and break the chain of transmission.