Essential Personal Protective Equipment for COVID-19 Caregivers

Personal protective equipment, in short, makes PPE, an acronym we have been hearing a lot in the past few days especially in terms of equipment which is in acute shortage for medical professionals globally.

The fact that PPE prevents the spread of COVID-19 and ensures the safety of healthcare workers- doctors, nurses, and all those who are serving on the frontline of the pandemic, makes it necessary equipment for public as well as personal health. 

PPE plays the role of a barrier between the person’s eyes, ears, skin, nose, mouth, and the infection causing viruses and bacteria.

Personal protective equipment varies from situation to situation, says the World Health Organization (WHO). When talking of COVID-19, a disease which spreads through personal contacts with the patients or through the coronavirus carrying droplets, PPE includes the following elements - Medical masks, Gloves, Eye protection, Respirators (N95 or FFP2 standard, or equivalent), Aprons, surgical scrub, Boots or closed-toe work shoes. 

PPE can vary between hospital cleaners, medical professionals, and patient visitors. In the case of certain medical procedures, PPE becomes an absolute necessity. These procedures include Intubation (a process where a tube is inserted into the patient’s airway through their mouth) and Nebulizer treatments (medicated mist is delivered to the lungs through this machine). Both of these medical procedures create a lot of viruses in the air creating a necessity of PPE for anyone who shares the same space. 

If medical practitioners are wondering where I can find a PPE kit or medical scrubs near me then Smart Medical Buyer is their answer. Smart Medical Buyer is delivering a full Prex Personal Protection Kit at your doorstep.

The first word of the acronym PPE says “Personal”. Barring a few exceptions, PPE is generally designed to be used by only one person at one time before its disposal. Hence it recommended not to wash and reuse the equipment and also it is advised to not share the equipment with other users. 

However, game-changing medical research conducted by Yale medicine doctors found out that the N95 masks can be reprocessed by using vaporized hydrogen peroxide to sterilize them for reuse. 

The insufficiency of the current global stockpile of PPE, medical masks and respirators, in particular, is a global concern. Addressing the issue, WHO recommended to put the available PPE to rational use and also mentioned that the supply of gowns and goggles is expected to be insufficient in the coming few days. 

WHO also explains that the rising number of COVID-19 cases is not the only reason behind the shortage of PPE but the other great reason is the rampant spread of misinformation, panic-buying, and stockpiling which if continued will result in a further shortage of PPE. 

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