scholarly journals Contamination of personal protective equipment during COVID-19 autopsies

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna M. Brandner ◽  
Peter Boor ◽  
Lukas Borcherding ◽  
Carolin Edler ◽  
Sven Gerber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Infectious Virus ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Risk Of Infection ◽  
Safe Work ◽  
Hygiene Measures ◽  
The Face ◽  
Positive Controls

AbstractConfronted with an emerging infectious disease at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the medical community faced concerns regarding the safety of autopsies on those who died of the disease. This attitude has changed, and autopsies are now recognized as indispensable tools for understanding COVID-19, but the true risk of infection to autopsy staff is nevertheless still debated. To clarify the rate of SARS-CoV-2 contamination in personal protective equipment (PPE), swabs were taken at nine points in the PPE of one physician and one assistant after each of 11 full autopsies performed at four centers. Swabs were also obtained from three minimally invasive autopsies (MIAs) conducted at a fifth center. Lung/bronchus swabs of the deceased served as positive controls, and SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected by real-time RT-PCR. In 9 of 11 full autopsies, PPE samples tested RNA positive through PCR, accounting for 41 of the 198 PPE samples taken (21%). The main contaminated items of the PPE were gloves (64% positive), aprons (50% positive), and the tops of shoes (36% positive) while the fronts of safety goggles, for example, were positive in only 4.5% of the samples, and all the face masks were negative. In MIAs, viral RNA was observed in one sample from a glove but not in other swabs. Infectious virus isolation in cell culture was performed on RNA-positive swabs from the full autopsies. Of all the RNA-positive PPE samples, 21% of the glove samples, taken in 3 of 11 full autopsies, tested positive for infectious virus. In conclusion, PPE was contaminated with viral RNA in 82% of autopsies. In 27% of autopsies, PPE was found to be contaminated even with infectious virus, representing a potential risk of infection to autopsy staff. Adequate PPE and hygiene measures, including appropriate waste deposition, are therefore essential to ensure a safe work environment.

scholarly journals Contamination of personal protective equipment during COVID-19 autopsies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna M Brandner ◽  
Peter Boor ◽  
Lukas S Borcherding ◽  
Carolin Edler ◽  
Sven Gerber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Infectious Virus ◽  
Virus Isolation ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Risk Of Infection ◽  
Safe Work ◽  
Hygiene Measures ◽  
Positive Controls

Confronted with an emerging infectious disease, the medical community faced relevant concerns regarding the performance of autopsies of COVID-19 deceased at the beginning of the pandemic. This attitude has changed, and autopsies are now recognized as indispensable tools for elucidating COVID-19; despite this, the true risk of infection for autopsy staff is still debated. To elucidate the rate of SARS-CoV-2 contamination in personal protective equipment (PPE), swabs were taken at nine locations of the PPE of one physician and an assistant each from 11 full autopsies performed at four different centers. Further samples were obtained for three minimally invasive autopsies (MIA) conducted at a fifth center. Lung/bronchus swabs of the deceased served as positive controls. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected by RT-qPCR. In 9/11 full autopsies PPE samples were tested RNA positive with PCR, in total 21% of all PPE samples taken. The main contaminated parts of the PPE were the gloves (64% positive), the aprons (50% positive), and the upper sides of shoes (36% positive) while for example the fronts of safety goggles were only positive in 4.5% of the samples and all face masks were negative. In MIA, viral RNA was observed in one sample from a glove, but not in other swabs. Infectious virus isolation in cell culture was performed in RNA positive swabs from full autopsies. Of all RNA positive PPE samples, 21% of the glove samples were positive for infectious virus taken in 3/11 full autopsies. In conclusion, in >80% of autopsies, PPE was contaminated with viral RNA. In >25% of autopsies, PPE was found to be even contaminated with infectious virus, signifying a potential risk of infection among autopsy staff. Adequate PPE and hygiene measures, including appropriate waste deposition, are therefore mandatory to enable safe work environment.

scholarly journals Biosafety and action in front of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 129-141
Author(s):  
Anna Clara Cachoni ◽  
Micael Borges Cadari ◽  
Augusto Alberto Foggiato ◽  
Juliana Zorzi Coléte ◽  
João Lopes Toledo Neto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Hygiene Measures ◽  
The Face ◽  
Individual Protection ◽  
Entire World

The COVID-19 disease that affected the entire world in 2020 is caused by a virus (SARS-CoV-2) with a high rate of pathogenicity and transmission that caused several deaths in its trajectory. To combat this disease several personal hygiene measures and the use of personal protective equipment were necessary. In view of this, the study aims to clarify some doubts regarding the vaccine and its effectiveness, individual protection and the performance of health professionals in the face of this situation.

scholarly journals The COVID-19 Pandemic and nursing challenges: A review of the early literature

Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Mojtaba K. Danesh ◽  
Ehsan Garosi ◽  
Hamedeh Golmohamadpour
Keyword(s):  
Health Systems ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Qualitative Studies ◽  
Systematic Search ◽  
Current Paper ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Early Literature ◽  
The Face ◽  
Physical Distress ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has put health systems under unprecedented pressure, challenging their workforce, especially nurses. OBJECTIVE: The current paper presented a review of the early literature concerning emerging nursing challenges during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A systematic search of the published literature between January and May 2020 was carried out in Medline, Science Direct, and Google Scholar to identify relevant quantitative and qualitative studies. RESULTS: Twenty-two original articles were retrieved, the majority of which were survey studies from China. Synthesis of the evidence resulted in four overarching themes including “being physically and mentally drained in the face of fear and uncertainty,” “shortage of personal protective equipment and usability issues,” “psychosomatic disturbances among nurses,” and “moderators to mitigate nurses’ challenges.” CONCLUSIONS: Providing care for demanding COVID-19 patients, nurses experienced a gruelling situation, during which a significant amount of psychological and physical distress was inflicted to them. However, receiving proper support from their organization and society could improve the condition substantially. Further research is required to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses, especially from Western countries.

scholarly journals COVID-19 pandemic challenges for dermatology

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-17
Author(s):  
Evgenia Dvoryankova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Care ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Occupational Dermatitis ◽  
Medical Assistance ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Quality Medical Care

COVID-19 pandemic posed a number of new formidable challenges to medical community. Dermatologists have not only to detect, define and reverse the new coronavirus infection cutaneus manifestations, but also to provide medical assistance to colleagues with occupational dermatitis due to personal protective equipment use. Moreover, it is necessary to provide quality medical care to patients with acute and chronic dermatosis given the limitations of present pandemic situation.

scholarly journals Triaging in COVID-19 at Patan Hospital, Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-79
Author(s):  
Samita Acharya ◽  
Kripa Maharjan
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Worker ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Care Worker

Amid this pandemic, which has been spreading like a wildfire globally, Nepal is not an exception to it. With this, we have been hearing the news of global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), with growing concern over the safety of medical community and possibility of cross-contamination. Triaging is less researched and reported in COVID-19. It is as important as PPE, a gateway of safety for health care worker. If we have to manage COVID-19, ensuring triage should be among the priority strategies. Patan hospital is among the few hospitals in Nepal where triaging is practiced.

Extent of infectious SARS-CoV-2 aerosolisation as a result of oesophagogastroduodenoscopy or colonoscopy

2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (7) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulzahra Hussain ◽  
Tarun Singhal ◽  
Shamsi EL-Hasani
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Direct Contact ◽  
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy ◽  
Routine Care ◽  
Cross Infection ◽  
Medical Emergency ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Care Pathways ◽  
Risk Of Infection ◽  
Substantial Risk

Background COVID-19 has caused an unprecedented pandemic and medical emergency that has changed routine care pathways. This article discusses the extent of aerosolisation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the virus that causes COVID-19, as a result of oesophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy. Methods PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for relevant publications, using the terms COVID-19 aerosolisation, COVID-19 infection, COVID-19 transmission, COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 and endoscopy, Endoscopy for COVID-19 patients. Results A total of 3745 articles were identified, 26 of which were selected to answer the question of the extent of SARS-CoV-2 aerosolisation during upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy. All studies suggested high infectivity from contact and droplet spread. No clinical study has yet reported the viral load in the aerosol and therefore the infective dose has not been accurately determined. However, aerosol-generating procedures are potentially risky and full personal protective equipment should be used. Conclusions As it is a highly infectious disease, clinicians treating patients with COVID-19 require effective personal protective equipment. The main routes of infection are direct contact and droplets in the air and on surfaces. Aerosolisation carries a substantial risk of infection, so any aerosol-producing procedure, such as endoscopy, should be performed wearing personal protective equipment and with extra caution to protect the endoscopist, staff and patients from cross-infection via the respiratory system.

scholarly journals 824 UK CoPACK Study: Health Care Workers Knowledge and Confidence in Using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) And Related Anxiety Levels During The COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_6) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Ismael ◽  
G Manoharan ◽  
K Al-Kaisi ◽  
A George ◽  
S Abas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Risk Of Infection ◽  
Confidence Levels ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
National Guidance ◽  
Psychometric Tool ◽  
Anxiety Levels

Abstract Aim The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant pressures on the NHS. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of infection. Personal protective equipment (PPE) lowers the risk of infection transmission. However, during the early phases of the pandemic, the information available regarding COVD-19 and the use of PPE has been unclear, with constantly changing guidelines. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and confidence about PPE usage among HCWs, in addition to measuring their anxiety levels during the COVID pandemic. Method A validated questionnaire was distributed among HCWs in as many UK hospitals as possible, during April 2020. The questionnaire consisted of 13 questions regarding demographics, knowledge on PPE guidance, HCW training and confidence levels in PPE usage and finally anxiety levels measured using the GAD-7 psychometric tool. Results 1055 responses were received. Nurses (49%), Healthcare Assistants (HCA - 20%), Doctors (17%), Physios (8%) and other (6%). 99% of respondents indicated they were familiar with PPE guidance, but only 1.6% answered all 3 questions on PPE guidance accurately. 86.4% of respondents received mask-fitting checks. 79.7% received donning-doffing training. Despite this, only 46.8% were confident on their familiarity with PPE. 32.5% felt that their hospital communication regarding PPE policy during COVID-19 pandemic was poor or very poor. 30% HCWs experienced severe anxiety. Conclusions National guidance and local training on PPE usage during the COVID-19 pandemic has been unsatisfactory, leading to higher anxiety among HCWs. Improved information delivery and training are essential in preparation for the second wave and future pandemics.

scholarly journals COVID-19: A systematic evaluation of personal protective equipment (PPE) performance during restraint

2021 ◽  
pp. 002580242110008
Author(s):  
Roland Dix ◽  
David Straiton ◽  
Peter Metherall ◽  
James Laidlaw ◽  
Lisa McLean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Risk Of Infection ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Inpatient Mental Health ◽  
Risk Areas ◽  
New Procedures

Background Restraint is widely practised within inpatient mental health services and is considered a higher-risk procedure for patients and staff. There is a sparsity of evidence in respect of the efficacy of personal protective equipment (PPE) used during restraint for reducing risk of infection. Methods A series of choreographed restraint episodes were used to simulate contact contamination in research participants playing the roles of staff members and a patient. For comparison, one episode of simulated recording of physical observations was taken. Ultraviolet (UV) fluorescent material was used to track the simulated contact contamination, with analysis undertaken using established image registration techniques of UV photographs. This was repeated for three separate sets of PPE. Results All three PPE sets showed similar performance in protecting against contamination transfer. For teams not utilising coveralls, this was dependent upon effective cleansing as part of doffing. There were similar patterns of contamination for restraint team members assigned to specific roles, with hands and upper torso appearing to be higher-risk areas. The restraint-related contamination was 23 times higher than that observed for physical observations. Discussion A second layer of clothing that can be removed showed efficacy in reducing contact contamination. PPE fit to individual is important. Post-restraint cleansing procedures are currently inadequate, with new procedures for face and neck cleansing required. These findings leave scope for staff to potentially improve their appearance when donning PPE and engaging with distressed patients.

scholarly journals Personal protective equipment does not sufficiently protect against virus aerosol unless combined with advanced air purification or ventilation techniques

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shane A Landry ◽  
Dinesh Subedi ◽  
Jeremy J Barr ◽  
Martin I MacDonald ◽  
Samantha Dix ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Hospital Capacity ◽  
Degree Of Protection ◽  
Aerosol Exposure ◽  
Skin Contamination ◽  
The Face ◽  
Close Range ◽  
Virus Exposure ◽  
High Virus

ABSTRACTBackgroundHealthcare workers (HCWs) are at risk from nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from virus laden aerosols. This study aimed to: 1) quantify the degree of protection from virus aerosol provided by different types of mask (surgical, N95, fit-tested N95) and personal protective equipment (PPE); 2) determine if the use of a portable HEPA filter can enhance the effectiveness of PPE; 3) determine the effectiveness of a decontamination shower to remove virus aerosol contamination of a HCW.MethodsVirus aerosol exposure experiments were conducted using bacteriophage PhiX174 (108copies/mL). A HCW wearing PPE (mask, gloves, gown, faceshield) was exposed to nebulised viruses for 40mins in a sealed clinical room. After exiting, the HCW doffed PPE. Virus exposure was quantified via skin swabs applied to the face and nostrils, forearms, neck, and forehead. Experiments were performed with and without the presence of a portable HEPA filter (set to 470m3/hr).FindingsSwabs quantified significant virus exposure under the surgical and N95 mask. Only the fit-tested N95 resulted in lower virus counts compared to no mask control (p=0.027). Nasal swabs demonstrated very high virus exposure, which was not mitigated by the surgical or N95 masks, although there was a trend for the fit-tested N95 mask to reduce virus counts (p=0.058). The addition of HEPA filtration substantially reduced virus counts from all swab sites, and to near zero levels when combined with a fit-tested N95 mask, gloves, gown and faces shield. Virus counts were substantially reduced to near zero levels following a shower.InterpretationThese data demonstrate that quantitatively fit tested N95 masks combined with a HEPA filter can offer protection against high virus aerosol loads at close range and for prolonged periods of time. Skin contamination from virus aerosol can be effectively by removed by showering.FundingEpworth Hospital Capacity Building Research Grant ID: EH2020-654

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