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Extended Use and Disinfection of N95 Respirators and Exam Gloves During a Pandemic *
Published in Robert N. Phalen, Howard I. Maibach, Protective Gloves for Occupational Use, 2023
R.N. Phalen, J-M. Lachapelle, Y.K. Hamidi
Over the following months, healthcare providers and hospitals around the world were overwhelmed with patients, which strained the global supply chain for PPE. Both N95 respirators and medical exam gloves are critical PPE components for healthcare workers, helping protect against the spread of respiratory diseases to and from patients. N95 respirators are designed to filter small airborne respiratory droplets, including those associated with coughs, sneezes, breathing, and speech, and therefore provide a higher level of protection to healthcare workers than surgical masks and cloth face masks. If used appropriately, disposable medical exam gloves can provide additional protection against the transmission of most airborne viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
Concept Structure of Database Management System (DBMS) Portal for Real-Time Tracking and Controlling the Spread of Coronavirus
Published in Ram Shringar Raw, Vishal Jain, Sanjoy Das, Meenakshi Sharma, Pandemic Detection and Analysis Through Smart Computing Technologies, 2022
Abhishek M. Thote, Rajesh V. Patil
There are different types of face masks available according to their features and application [16–20]. The common types of face masks are as follows: Simple Cloth Face Mask: It is made of cotton or synthetic material. It is generally used by the people while going outdoor for daily work, offices, shops, etc. It is recommended by CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to use by the public.Surgical Face Mask: It is made of disposable, thin, and non-woven fabric. It is used by people of medical professionals (doctors, nurses, etc.). It blocks entry of bacteria and germs into the mouth and nose more efficiently. It is recommended for one time use only by FDA (Food and Drug Administration).N95 and KN95 Respirators or Masks: N95 and KN95 are similar masks in terms of particles filtration performance. N95 masks are based on the norms of USA standard and KN95 masks are based on the norms of China standard [19]. This is the only difference. These are specialized masks recommended to use by medical officers, surgeons while operating critical cases of patient. Virus particles are generally in the size range of 0.1–0.3 microns. The efficiency of N95 masks is minimum 95% to prevent these virus particles [20]. During laboratory testing, NaCl (sodium chloride) particles are used to check the filtration efficiency. Nowadays, these masks are also used by the public to prevent the infection owing to the coronavirus.
Effects of cloth face masks on physical and cognitive performance during maximal exercise testing
Published in Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, 2023
Simon Driver, Katelyn D. Brown, Taylor Gilliland, Megan Reynolds, Monica Bennett, Evan McShan, Chol Ho J. Kim, Eric Freese, Patrick Belling, Robert L. Gottlieb, Alan Jones
The COVID-19 global pandemic declaration by the World Health Organization in March 2020 resulted in sweeping public health recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for individuals to wear face masks in public, including during physical activity or exercise,1 due to the ability of mask wearing to reduce new infections.2 Previous research has found that mask wearing has no significant adverse health effects for wearers. Specifically, studies among hospital workers, older adults, and adults with chronic obstructive lung disease reported no change in oxygen or carbon dioxide levels while wearing a cloth face mask (CFM) or surgical mask while at rest.3–5 Short-term moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity with a face mask is both feasible and safe and does not have negative consequences for the wearer’s overall health.6 However, exercise with a CFM significantly impaired participant outcomes during a treadmill cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) in key performance (i.e., reduced exercise time), physiological (e.g., peak oxygen consumption [VO2], minute ventilation [VE], heart rate [HR], saturation of peripheral oxygen [SpO2]), and perceptual variables (i.e., rate of perceived exertion [RPE], dyspnea) among healthy individuals.7 Furthermore, the impact of CFMs on high-intensity exercise with concurrent cognitive testing in adults has not been explored.
Masks in COVID-19: let’s unmask the evidence
Published in Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine, 2021
Arjuna P. De Silva, Madunil A. Niriella, H. Janaka de Silva
Shortage of supply of masks for medical use has necessitated adoption of measures to optimize the use of medical masks. The general population should be advised to avoid using medical or surgical masks and to use cloth face covering in public. Cloth face masks can be reused after machine washing. The decontamination and reuse of cloth masks remain an open question. How exactly to do this safely is not yet fully established. Reuse or extended use of medical masks is recommended for health workers [46]. Extended use refers to the practice of wearing the same N95 respirator for repeated close contact encounters with several patients, without removing the respirator between patient encounters. Reuse refers to the practice of using the same N95 respirator for multiple encounters with patients but removing it (‘doffing’) after each encounter. The respirator is stored in between encounters to be put on again (‘donned’) prior to the next encounter with a patient. Limited reuse has been recommended and widely used as an option for conserving respirators during previous respiratory pathogen outbreaks and pandemics [46].
Older Workers in the Time of COVID-19: The Senior Community Service Employment Program and Implications for Social Work
Published in Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 2020
Cal J. Halvorsen, Olga Yulikova
We end with some anecdotes of Massachusetts SCSEP participants that highlight the desire for continued economic, civic, and social engagement of lower-income, older workers. One participant spoke of the loss of a sense of meaning in her life due to the loss of her work. Another participant spoke of his desire to get back to work and simultaneous fear of exposure to the novel coronavirus due to his need to take four buses to get to work. Many are finding ways to give back to their communities when sheltering at home. A team of two participants contacted their peers in the program to help them learn how to use Zoom and other technologies to stay connected. Another participant started sewing cloth face masks to give to essential workers for free. And a former participant joined the efforts of Massachusetts and the nonprofit organization, Partners in Health, by becoming a contact tracer (see Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, 2020).