Which of the following is NOT a core element of infection control in healthcare settings?

• A. Hand hygiene
• B. Public health surveillance
• C. PPE
• D. Safe waste disposal

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is what actions directly prevent transmission of infections in healthcare settings. The hands-on measures that staff use every day to break transmission chains are hand hygiene, the use of appropriate personal protective equipment, and safe disposal of waste. Hand hygiene stops pathogens from moving from one person to another via hands. PPE acts as a barrier to protect skin and mucous membranes from exposure. Safe waste disposal minimizes exposure to contaminated materials and reduces environmental contamination.

Public health surveillance, while crucial for monitoring infection trends and guiding broader prevention efforts, is not a direct, frontline infection control practice. It operates at a system or population level—detecting outbreaks, reporting cases, and informing policy—rather than being an immediate, routine action performed at the point of care.