Which statement best describes respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette?

• A. The CDC standard that applies to all persons entering a health care setting, including visitors, patients, and health care personnel
• B. A protocol for sterilizing equipment before use
• C. A policy requiring patient admission to be delayed
• D. A guideline for masking, hand hygiene, and cough etiquette to reduce transmission

Answer: (A)

Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette is a set of practices in healthcare settings aimed at preventing the spread of respiratory infections. It focuses on actions like masking when appropriate, proper hand hygiene, and cough etiquette—covering the mouth and nose (with a tissue or elbow), disposing of tissues, and cleaning hands after contact with respiratory secretions. This approach is applied to everyone entering the facility—patients, visitors, and staff—to reduce transmission from people who are coughing or have respiratory symptoms. The other options describe different concepts: sterilizing equipment before use, delaying patient admission, or a broad standard without the specific cough- and masking-focused actions.