Improvements and lessons learnt in combatting coronavirus transmission within the healthcare setting include: the importance of personal hygiene practices and access to fresh water in clinics to improve hygiene; the need for physical distancing of suspected and confirmed cases in health clinics; and the critical need for available, effective and consistent use of PPE (personal protective equipment) by health workers. universal availability of clean, high-quality, safe care, including for health workers IPC to be a central component of pandemic and global health security planning ensure sustainability of newly implemented (COVID-19 response) IPC programs, and water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructures.