Recognizing Infection Prevention Week: 5 Tips for Facilities (2026)

The discipline of infection control has been rapidly evolving since the early 1950s. From the creation of hand hygiene guidelines to the ongoing battle against re-emerging infectious diseases, infection preventionists continue to lead the charge on reducing the spread of harmful germs. International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW) was established to celebrate these collective efforts and reinforce the importance of continuous improvement among healthcare stakeholders.

As a facility leader, engaging your workforce in this global event is one way to demonstrate your ongoing commitment to infection prevention. In this article, we’ll outline five ways that you can use this weeklong observance to underscore the significance of this essential work and how it contributes to safer patient care and healthier communities.

What Is Infection Preventionist Week?

IIPW (or infection control week) is a seven-day event dedicated to highlighting the importance of preventing infections within healthcare settings. It’s an opportunity for all types of healthcare workers, advocates, and policymakers to come together and discuss best practices for infection control.

Each year, the week is celebrated around a different theme assigned by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). Everyone is encouraged to learn more about the dedicated theme and participate in activities to promote it. Here are examples of themes from previous years:

• Stand UPPP (Unite, Protect, Prevent, Prevail) for Infection Control (2025)
• Moving the Needle on Infection Prevention (2024)
• Celebrating the Fundamentals of Infection Prevention (2023)

When Is Infection Control Week?

Infection preventionist week is celebrated annually throughout the third week of October. It was first established as a national observance in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan. However, it has since become recognized and observed by countries around the world, including the UK, Australia, and Canada. Infection prevention week 2026 falls between October 18 and 24.

5 Infection Prevention Week Ideas for Facilities

While APIC provides suggestions on how to promote the annual theme of IIPW, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to celebrating. Whether you’re looking for small or big ideas for infection prevention week games, posters, and beyond, here are five meaningful ways your facility can get more involved.

1. Run an Educational Campaign on Infection Control Practices

Raising awareness is a cornerstone of IIPW. While all healthcare providers are trained on infection control, it’s always helpful to reinforce the fundamentals. Align your campaign with the annual theme of IIPW and utilize multiple communication channels to teach others about the importance of infection control.

Campaign ideas:

• Set up hand-washing demo stations and posters throughout the facility to remind staff about proper hand hygiene.
• Host a lunch and learn session and invite expert infection preventionists to conduct an educational Q&A.
• Post infographics that highlight the importance of immunizations, with educational resources that share key points (like how vaccines have prevented over 500 million illnesses in the last 30 years alone).

2. Conduct Team-Building Infection Prevention Week Activities

Infection prevention is a collaborative effort, and fostering multidisciplinary teamwork is a great way to embody what this particular celebration is about. Consider hosting a team-building workshop or activity to engage staff in infection prevention education.

Activity ideas:

• Host an infection control scavenger hunt.
• Create a Jeopardy-style trivia game on infection prevention practices.
• Send out a daily team word puzzle that includes concepts from the annual lIIPW theme.

3. Partner With Community Organizations to Engage the Public

Infection prevention goes beyond healthcare settings. In addition to healthcare staff, the public plays an important role in helping prevent the spread of communicable illnesses. If you’re looking for ways to raise awareness throughout the community, you can partner with local organizations to conduct patient outreach activities.

Community outreach ideas:

• Visit local schools to teach children about hand washing and cough etiquette.
• Partner with your local health department to offer free flu vaccines.
• Organize a community infection control fair with other nearby facilities, with activities that foster engagement through hands-on participation (such as interactive learning about how swab point-of-care tests work).

4. Celebrate Your Team’s Success in Preventing Infections

As you encourage your staff to participate in week-long learning, don’t forget to celebrate your successes. Infection prevention requires daily effort, and it can be motivating to look back on how your team has improved its practices since last year with curated awards or thoughtful infection prevention week gifts.

Celebration ideas:

• Share infection prevention performance metrics in posters that match the APIC-designated theme or via social media spotlights.
• Create a recognition wall where staff can share and post team achievements.
• Develop awards that highlight staff contributions to infection control and consider including an accompanying gift for each winner.

5. Show Appreciation for Your Infection Preventionists

While infection control is a team effort, your infection preventionists play a particularly important role in spearheading new initiatives and guiding your staff on the latest evidence-based practices. Take a moment to say a genuine thank you to the staff who have dedicated their careers to infection prevention.

Appreciation gift ideas:

• Write personalized thank you cards signed by leadership and other team members.
• Distribute themed gifts like t-shirts that speak to the week’s intent, branded hand sanitizers, or gift cards that allow staff to enjoy a free coffee or tea drink.
• Decorate staff workstations with banners, balloons, and sweet treats.

Continue the Work Beyond Annual Celebrations

Infection prevention week activities are a great way to motivate clinicians and the community alike to promote public safety measures. For long-term strategies to improve your facility’s practices and protect patients, use our wide-ranging facility guides and insights to help stay a step ahead of the latest healthcare challenges.