. 2021 Aug 31;26(4):1238–1257. doi: 10.1111/bjhp.12557

Table 2.

Strategies for ongoing infection control

Target	Examples of strategies
Capability	Build and sustain an understanding of infection risks and how to mitigate these through: 1. Multichannel information and comms campaigns, including in schools, workplaces, venues to explain why, e.g., outdoors vs indoors or face coverings can reduce transmission. e.g., education and training in self‐management has proved effective in achieving lasting improvements in diabetes self‐management (StantonFay et al., 2021). e.g., informational campaigns have been found to be an important part of cost‐effective interventions to a range of improve health‐related behaviours (Beard et al., 2019). 2. Education on infection risk management across educational settings from schools to HE and professional training. e.g., training in use of resources has proved effective in sustained improvement in hygiene behaviours in low income countries (Martin et al., 2018). e.g., continued education and training has been found to support sustained changes in GP prescribing patterns (Richards et al., 2003). 3. Providing resources that are easily accessible and usable by all members of the community. e.g., simple post‐it type pad for GPs to keep on their desks led to an increase in delivery of advice on smoking (McEwen et al., 2002). e.g., checklists and templates developed to promote safe practice in surgery (Gillespie & Marshall, 2015).
Opportunity	Ensure that all sectors of society and organizations work together to maximize opportunities for successful risk management by: 4. Providing practical, regulatory, and financial support for the creation of home, work, leisure, and transport environments that enable adequate physical distancing, ventilation, and wearing of face coverings when the need arises. e.g., website with accessible information about ventilation status and opportunities as implemented by New York City Department of Education (NYC Department of Education, 2021). e.g., Government providing guidance for tenants, landlords, and local authorities to reduce in‐household transmission. Local authorities may be able to use their enforcement powers in relation to landlords to deal with a serious overcrowding hazard (UK Government, 2021). 5. Provide practical support and resources to ensure the sustainability of Mutual Aid groups, which provide multiple forms of practical support to those in the community, from delivering food, providing emotional support, to walking the dog (Fernandes‐Jesus et al., 2021). 6. Ensure people have sufficient and sustained financial and other resources, including employment protection, to be able to behave in ways that mitigate risks. e.g., ensuring that there is adequate financial and material support during a period of self‐isolation or quarantine (Webster et al., 2020). 7. Building strong social norms around infection control behaviours such as physical distancing and mask wearing of the kind seen in some other countries. e.g., effect of shaping social norms on a range of Covid‐protective behaviours and environmental sustainability (Hargreaves, 2011; Neville et al., 2021; Pepper & Brebbia, 2012). e.g., formally engaging community leaders in a programme to achieve lasting changes in health‐related behaviours (Yajima, Takano, Nakamura, & Watanabe, 2001).
Motivation	Ensure that people and organizations attach high value to infection control and how this is embedded into daily lives by: 8. Using all available communication channels to strengthen social‐identities, values, and emotional responses around infection prevention and mitigation, and a sense of personal control. e.g., large effect of a programme targeting emotional drivers of hand‐washing with soap (Biran et al., 2014). 9. Specific community engagement initiatives with minorities and marginalized social groups e.g., Scottish NHS co‐production initiative for community health and UK’s community champions scheme (Loeffler & Power, 2013; UK Government, 2021). 10. Providing training and resources to build habits and routines into people’s lives, for example taking a face covering with you when leaving the home or opening a window when someone visits. e.g., regular prime‐time TV segment based on behavioural science principles (Veiligheid, 2016). e.g., habit building has proved effective across a range of health‐related behaviours (Beard et al., 2019).

Target

Examples of strategies

Capability

Build and sustain an understanding of infection risks and how to mitigate these through:

1. Multichannel information and comms campaigns, including in schools, workplaces, venues to explain why, e.g., outdoors vs indoors or face coverings can reduce transmission.

e.g., education and training in self‐management has proved effective in achieving lasting improvements in diabetes self‐management (StantonFay et al., 2021).
e.g., informational campaigns have been found to be an important part of cost‐effective interventions to a range of improve health‐related behaviours (Beard et al., 2019).

2. Education on infection risk management across educational settings from schools to HE and professional training.

e.g., training in use of resources has proved effective in sustained improvement in hygiene behaviours in low income countries (Martin et al., 2018).
e.g., continued education and training has been found to support sustained changes in GP prescribing patterns (Richards et al., 2003).

3. Providing resources that are easily accessible and usable by all members of the community.

e.g., simple post‐it type pad for GPs to keep on their desks led to an increase in delivery of advice on smoking (McEwen et al., 2002).
e.g., checklists and templates developed to promote safe practice in surgery (Gillespie & Marshall, 2015).

Opportunity

Ensure that all sectors of society and organizations work together to maximize opportunities for successful risk management by:

4. Providing practical, regulatory, and financial support for the creation of home, work, leisure, and transport environments that enable adequate physical distancing, ventilation, and wearing of face coverings when the need arises.

e.g., website with accessible information about ventilation status and opportunities as implemented by New York City Department of Education (NYC Department of Education, 2021).
e.g., Government providing guidance for tenants, landlords, and local authorities to reduce in‐household transmission. Local authorities may be able to use their enforcement powers in relation to landlords to deal with a serious overcrowding hazard (UK Government, 2021).

5. Provide practical support and resources to ensure the sustainability of Mutual Aid groups, which provide multiple forms of practical support to those in the community, from delivering food, providing emotional support, to walking the dog (Fernandes‐Jesus et al., 2021).

6. Ensure people have sufficient and sustained financial and other resources, including employment protection, to be able to behave in ways that mitigate risks.

e.g., ensuring that there is adequate financial and material support during a period of self‐isolation or quarantine (Webster et al., 2020).

7. Building strong social norms around infection control behaviours such as physical distancing and mask wearing of the kind seen in some other countries.

e.g., effect of shaping social norms on a range of Covid‐protective behaviours and environmental sustainability (Hargreaves, 2011; Neville et al., 2021; Pepper & Brebbia, 2012).
e.g., formally engaging community leaders in a programme to achieve lasting changes in health‐related behaviours (Yajima, Takano, Nakamura, & Watanabe, 2001).

Motivation

Ensure that people and organizations attach high value to infection control and how this is embedded into daily lives by:

8. Using all available communication channels to strengthen social‐identities, values, and emotional responses around infection prevention and mitigation, and a sense of personal control.

e.g., large effect of a programme targeting emotional drivers of hand‐washing with soap (Biran et al., 2014).

9. Specific community engagement initiatives with minorities and marginalized social groups

e.g., Scottish NHS co‐production initiative for community health and UK’s community champions scheme (Loeffler & Power, 2013; UK Government, 2021).

10. Providing training and resources to build habits and routines into people’s lives, for example taking a face covering with you when leaving the home or opening a window when someone visits.

e.g., regular prime‐time TV segment based on behavioural science principles (Veiligheid, 2016).
e.g., habit building has proved effective across a range of health‐related behaviours (Beard et al., 2019).