Hygiene Innovation Day 2021 in the Regensburg Jahnstadion
"Hygiene protects and saves lives" was the opening sentence at the last "Hygiene Innovation Day" at the beginning of March 2020, upon which the topic of Corona in Asia was also reported for the first time. The COVID-19 pandemic that followed soon reached Europe and has painfully proven this thesis to this day. Topics such as hand hygiene, surface disinfection, pathogen transmission through aerosols, questions about active ventilation, have become more and more prevalent in public awareness to this day beyond the professional medical environment. Ultimately, however, it is health and care facilities which are particularly endangered by bacteria and pathogens, also against a background of increasing resistance. At the second Hygiene Innovation Day, which was organized by the “Healthcare Regensburg - managed by BioPark” network in the Regensburg Jahnstadion, experts from industry and clinics gave an exciting overview of Corona, hygiene problem areas and requirements in the medical environment.
In his welcome address, the managing director of BioPark Regensburg GmbH Dr. Thomas Diefenthal referred to the diverse activities and developments in the fight against Corona in the Regensburg BioRegion Cluster. Researchers from Regensburg who are authors in renowned publications and innovative products from Regensburg companies were presented in the WirtschaftsWoche (Business Week). Project manager Dr. Ilja Hagen, who organized the event, underlined the positive development of the hygiene working group in the Healthcare Regensburg Project. In her keynote address, Prof. Dr. Cornelia Lass-Flörl from the Medical University of Innsbruck gave an up-to-date overview of the problem areas in hygiene. Prof. Dr. Bernd Salzberger from the Department of Hospital Hygiene and Infectious Diseases at the Regensburg University Hospital spoke about the lessons learned to date from the Covid-19 pandemic for hygiene. Marc Thanheiser from the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin explained the current recommendations from the Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention (KRINKO) in the Infection Protection Act (IfSG) for antimicrobial surfaces and air purifiers.
A total of 11 speakers presented the results of various ways of reducing bacteria and viruses in room air and on surfaces, applicable in clinics through to ambulances. The event was an all-round success, but was restricted significantly by the current Corona regulations. The number of participants was limited to 63 visitors and also the recent successful exhibition of companies from the industry, as well as the evening reception for the previous day for external guests unfortunately had to be canceled. Nevertheless, the organizers will definitely plan another Hygiene Innovation Day for the next year 2022, then hopefully again in normal circumstances.
