Articles: personal-protective-equipment.
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Int J Occup Med Environ Health · May 2021
ReviewA proposal of a cheap and simple method of medical personnel protection for endotracheal intubation of patients with a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created additional risks to healthcare providers, especially those who perform aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) like endotracheal intubation. Endotracheal intubation is one of the procedures mostly generating aerosol and, therefore, requiring full protection of medical personnel against the infection. ⋯ Endotracheal intubation is one of the most common AGPs and adequate actions must be taken in order to protect medical personnel against the infection and to prevent the spreading of aerosol around the intubation area. The proposed barrier is easy to set with disposable materials and standard equipment available in every operating room. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(2):301-5.
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The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to an enormous increase in cases worldwide in a short time. The potential shortage might call for the reuse of personal protective equipment especially N95 masks. In this review, the methods available for decontamination of N95 masks have been compared to highlight the advantages and efficacies of different methods. ⋯ For the decontamination of N95 masks, among the heat-based methods steam was found to be the best for low middle-income countries setting. H2O2-based methods, UVGI, and EtO all exhibited both adequate biocidal efficacies and functionality (fit testing and structural integrity). Further studies on logistics, healthcare worker acceptability of reuse, and actual efficacy of protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection should be carried out to validate the use of decontamination in the real-life settings.
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Clinicians who care for patients infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) must wear a full suite of personal protective equipment, including an N95 mask or powered air purifying respirator, eye protection, a fluid-impermeable gown, and gloves. This combination of personal protective equipment may cause increased work of breathing, reduced field of vision, muffled speech, difficulty hearing, and heat stress. ⋯ The physiologic and psychologic challenges imposed by personal protective equipment may have multiple causes, but immediate countermeasures and long-term mitigation strategies can help to improve a clinician's ability to provide care. Ultimately, a systematic approach to the design and integration of personal protective equipment is needed to improve the safety of patients and clinicians.
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Fertility and sterility · Apr 2021
ReviewInfection precautions for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in assisted reproduction centers: dodging an invisible bullet.
The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has resulted in many changes in how we interact in society, requiring that we protect ourselves and others from an invisible, airborne enemy called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Until a vaccine is developed, and it reaches high levels of distribution, everyone must continue to be diligent to limit the viral spread. The practice of assisted reproduction during this pandemic presents unique challenges in addition to the risks identified in general clinical care. ⋯ Several professional fertility societies have created guidelines for the best practices in patient care during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. As we learn more about SARS-CoV-2, updates have been issued to help adapt infection-control and -prevention protocols. This review discusses what is currently known about SARS-CoV-2 infection risks in assisted reproductive centers and recommends the implementation of specific mitigation strategies.