Healthcare workers and protection against inhalable SARS-CoV-2 aerosols

By February 2021 expert groups in several countries had lobbied governments for proper recognition of the risk of aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and specific strategies to reduce this, including upgrades of respiratory protection (RPE) for healthcare workers (HCWs). This becomes particularly relevant with the emergence of more transmissible strains of SARS-CoV-2 and another wave of disease. Despite overwhelming evidence supporting aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 [1 –3], this has not translated into appropriate, consistent policies on RPE for HCWs. Partly, this is attributable to nations and organizations not stockpiling RPE despite the predicted occurrence of an influenza pandemic. AEuropean Centre for Disease Prevention and Control Technical Report recommended using filtering facepiece particulate respirators (FFPRs) FFP2 or FFP3, for HCWs assessing suspected cases or managing confirmed COVID-19 cases. Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR) (with coverall) may afford better protection than a N95 FFPR (and gown) [4], with some advocating these for performing aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) on COVID-19 patients [5]. National guidelines typically defer to World Health Organization(WHO) Interim Guidance: which only recommends FFP2 or N95 or FFP3 for HCWs performing AGPs on COVID-19 patients; and fluid-resistant surgical masks (FRSM) for other HCWs in COVID areas. In the UK, FFP3 (N99) respirators are advocated; where these are not available, FFP2 are considered a...
Source: Occupational Medicine - Category: Respiratory Medicine Source Type: research