Rational use of face mask in a tertiary care hospital setting during COVID-19 pandemic: An observational study

Sakshi Supehia, Vanya Singh, Twinkle Sharma, Meenakshi Khapre, Puneet Kumar GuptaIndian Journal of Public Health 2020 64(6):225-227 Masks play a role in the protection of health-care workers (HCWs) from acquiring respiratory infections, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in health-care settings. This observational study was conducted among 382 HCWs in a tertiary care setting over a period of 1 month. Descriptive analysis was done to assess the rational and recommended use of masks/respirators during COVID-19 pandemic using a structured observation checklist as a survey tool. A total of 374 HCWs were included, 64.9% of whom were using face masks rationally as mentioned per risk area categorization with a predominance of triple-layered mask during all 4 weeks. Overall, 64.1% used masks correctly. Clear guidelines and strategies can help to increase the compliance of HCWs with rational use of face masks.
Source: Indian Journal of Public Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Source Type: research