Articles: personal-protective-equipment.
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In the prehospital setting, endotracheal intubation (ETI) may be required to secure the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient airway. It has been suggested that the use of a protective barrier can reduce possible aerosol delivery from patients to clinicians during ETI. We sought to assess the performance of ETI by paramedics wearing personal protective equipment with and without the use of a box barrier. ⋯ The findings of this pilot study suggest that paramedics wearing personal protective equipment can successfully perform ETI using a barrier box, but the intubation time may be prolonged. The applicability of these findings to the care of COVID-19 patients remain to be investigated.
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Clin. Microbiol. Infect. · Jan 2021
Extremely low prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 among healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients in Israeli hospitals: a cross-sectional study.
We aimed to compare the prevalence of asymptomatic coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) among clinical staff in designated COVID-19 units versus that among staff in similar units with no known or suspected COVID-19 patients. ⋯ The low prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 among HCWs, coupled with an absence of symptomatic COVID-19 acquired during patient care, suggest that Israel's national guidelines for personal protective equipment, which are consistent with those of the World Health Organization, adequately protect HCWs.
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Res Social Adm Pharm · Jan 2021
Personal protective practices and pharmacy services delivery by community pharmacists during COVID-19 pandemic: Results from a national survey.
Coronavirus disease (COVID19) has adversely affected the delivery of various health services. Little is known about the impact of COVID19 on pharmacy services across the United Kingdom (UK). We surveyed community pharmacists across the UK to understand their protective practices, professional and general well-being, and the delivery of pharmacy services during the COVID19 pandemic. ⋯ Community pharmacists in the UK are facing considerable challenges in terms of personal protection and the delivery of pharmacy services. Inappropriate behaviour from patients and carers towards community pharmacists require urgent attention to ensure a safe working place for all community pharmacists.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread shortages of N95 respirators and other personal protective equipment (PPE). An effective, reusable, locally-manufactured respirator can mitigate this problem. We describe the development, manufacture, and preliminary testing of an open-hardware-licensed device, the "simple silicone mask" (SSM). ⋯ Small-scale manufacturing of an effective, reusable N95 respirator during a pandemic is feasible and cost-effective. Required quantities of reusables are more predictable and less vulnerable to supply chain disruption than disposables. With further evaluation, such devices may be an alternative to disposable respirators during public health emergencies. The respirator described above is an investigational device and requires further evaluation and regulatory requirements before clinical deployment. The authors and affiliates do not endorse the use of this device at present.