It's a year-round effort, but this week give the chance to spread the message as Monday is the beginning of National Infection Control Week from October 15th to the 19th.

"Situation with this week, this awareness week, about infection prevention and control is that there are no borders," explained Medical Health Officer Dr. Mark Vooght. "What no borders mean is that there are no natural borders between the hospital, community, clinics, and so on and that we all need to take precaution."

Since diseases have no restrictions, prevention is the best key. In hospitals, it is clinically and cost effective to have infections prevention and control (IPAC) programs, which are done by infection control professionals (ICP). ICP's make sure each IPAC program is done properly and keep medical practitioners at their sharpest when it comes to cleanliness.

"In the hospital, infection control practitioners are, on an ongoing basis, doing hand hygiene audits," Dr. Vooght added. "In other words, they go and check and assess people, that's all our staff, ranging from the environmental staff in the hospital, physicians, nurses, everyone. Everyone needs to wash your hands."

Like Vooght mentioned, there are no borders, making prevention important from the hospital to your own home and it boils down to three easy things. Washing your hands properly, staying home if you're sick, and taking the proper medication as to not build up any sort of immunity to any treatments.

Infection prevention works best when everyone works towards it, which reduces the chance of transmission of illnesses, improves the quality of care and decreases costs within a healthcare setting.

It is also recommended that you get your flu shots, with clinics popping in Moose Jaw near the end of October.