Infection Control During Cold & Flu Season: Teaching Beyond the Textbook

Not every lesson on infection control has to be lecture-based. In fact, October is the perfect time to reinforce these skills with memorable, hands-on activities.

Try a “cough spray” demo with a spray bottle and food coloring to show how far droplets travel. Use glow powder to illustrate how germs spread on surfaces. Swab commonly touched areas before and after cleaning so students see real data.

Connecting these activities back to professionalism and patient safety helps students see infection control as a daily responsibility, not just a test topic.

Quick Tip

Check out this low prep infection control activity to build student confidence and competence: