The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has issued Additional guidelines on rational use of Personal Protective Equipment by setting approach for Health functionaries working in non-COVID areas.
The guideline is for health care workers and others working in Non COVID hospitals and Non-COVID treatment areas of a hospital which has a COVID block. These guidelines are in continuationof guidelines issued previously on ‘Rational use of Personal Protective Equipment’. The guideline also uses “settings” approach to guide on the type of personal protective equipment to be usedin different settings.
In the category of Out Patient Department, Help Help desk/Registration counter who provides information to patients and doctors chamber having Mild risk of infection, PPE including Triple layer medical mask and Latex examination gloves are recommended.
Chamber of Dental/ENT doctors/ Ophthalmology doctors in clinical management and Pre- anaesthetic check-up clinic having Moderate risk, N-95 mask along with Goggles Latex examination gloves and face shield are recommended.
For Pharmacy counter which is involved in Distribution of drugs and Sanitary staff involves in Cleaning frequently touched surfaces/Floor having mild risk of infection, Triple layer medical mask and Latex examination gloves are recommended.
It was said in the guidelines that all hospitals should identify a separate triage and holding area for patients with Influenza like illness so that suspect COVID cases are triaged and managed away from the main out-patient department.
Thereafter, in the category of In-patient Department (Non-COVID Hospital & Non-COVID treatment areas of a hospital which has a COVID block), Ward/individual rooms and ICU/ Critical care involves in Clinical management and Critical care management having mild/moderate risk of infection, Triple layer medical mask, Latex examination gloves, N-95 mask, Goggles, Nitrile examination gloves with face shield are recommended.
For those having duties in Ward/ICU/critical care involves in activities of dead body packing and transport to mortuary, Triple Layer medical mask and Latex examination gloves are recommended, whereas labour room in hospitals and operation theatre performing surgery, administering general anaesthesia has moderate risk of infection, Triple Layer medical mask with Face shield and Sterile latex gloves, N-95 mask are recommended.
Emergency departments in Non-COVID hospitals attending emergency cases or attending to severely ill patients while performing aerosol generating procedure has high risk of infection, Full complement of PPE (N-95mask, coverall, goggle, Nitrile examination gloves, shoe cover) is recommended.
The guidelines also speaks about Routine Laboratory or Radio-diagnosis, Blood bank etc. which involves Sample collection and transportation and testing of routine (non-respiratory)samples has Mild risk of infection, Triple layermedical mask along with Latex examination gloves and N-95 mask are recommended.
It says about ambulance services involves in transporting patients not on any assisted ventilation, recommended PPE for them includes N-95 mask, cover all, goggle, latex examination gloves, shoe cover.
“Points to remember while using PPE
- Standard precaution to be followed at all times
- PPEs are not alternative to basic preventive public health measures such as hand hygiene, respiratory etiquettes which must be followed at all times.
- Always follow the laid down protocol for disposing off PPEs as detailed in infection prevention and control guideline available on website of MoHFW”, mentioned in the guidelines.
-India Legal Bureau