Adding eye protection to universal masking reduces COVID-19 among frontline emergency clinicians to the level of community spread

Healthcare workers (HCWs) in the emergency departments (EDs) are at high risk to contract COVID-19. There is consensus in the medical community that universal masking reduces infection rates of HCWs [1-3]. N-95 respirator masks or surgical masks, eye protection, and physical distancing of>1  m or more have all been shown to decrease transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the related coronaviruses SARS-CoV-1 (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) [1]. There has only been one report thus far adding eye protection to universal masking, with no transmission to HCWs who added face shi elds in India during home visits [4].

Source: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine - August 25, 2020 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Edward S. Hawkins, Baruch S. Fertel, McKinsey R. Muir, Stephen W. Meldon, Fernando J. Delgado, Courtney M. Smalley Source Type: research