Amidst this COVID-19 lockdown and medical emergency, PPE is a trending acronym associated with safety and protection of the health workers. But what is PPE and why is it so important during this pandemic?

What is PPE?

PPE is an acronym for Personal Protective Equipment and is very crucial to prevent the spread of coronavirus and keep healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, and caregivers alike), who are on the medical frontlines, safe and healthy.

According to the FDA, PPE works as a physical safety barrier between a person’sbody and viral / bacterial infections. Generally a PPE kit consist of Coveralls, Aprons, Surgical gowns,Shoe covers, Gloves, N95 Respirator masks, and Safety goggles. In order to be used in a medical setting, the design and functioning of the PPE is regulated specifically by the government agencies according to strict guidelines and regulations.  FDA authorities have also mentioned that PPE kits have to be used along with other safety practices like hand-washing and using alcohol-based sanitizers, to minimize the risk of COVID-19 spread.

Major Concerns over PPE?

Even though telemedicine and tele-health consultations are the methods being used for managing patients worldwide, it is impossible for doctors to maintain social distancing while performing detection tests or treating COVID-19 patients. Thus it is utmost important for doctors and caregivers to avail recommended protective PPE gear for their own health concerns.

While this equipment is required for both personal and public health, there’s a huge ruckus over the shortage of PPE and its posing a huge risk for the caregivers who are constantly in contact with COVID-19 patients. To further talk about the lack of global PPE supplies, reports have pointed out that the shortage of PPE in the market is not only due to the huge COVID-19 case numbers but also due to misinformation, stockpiling and panic buying. Many health institutions are starting to ration PPE kits as this pandemic will continue to haunt the world for some more months and it is very important for these health stations to wisely decide on their clients to avoid a situation where there are no PPE kits left for emergencies.

Can PPE be shared or re-used?

The first word in PPE is ‘Personal’. This clarifies that PPE kits are not something that can be shared in order to avoid any risk of infection spread. Moreover, as mentioned by FDA, in general, most PPE kits are designed to be used only one time and by one person prior to disposal. Thus, the idea of washing and reusing the equipment is not recommended.

Recently, a new research published by MedRxiv indicated that N-95 masks can be reused upon re-processing by hydrogen peroxide sterilization. This report shows that the filter efficiency of N-95 masks remain intact upon re-processing but there are no strong evidence regarding the de-contamination of the viruses already present on the respirators of these masks.

Owing to the current situation of the COVID-19 situation, several healthcare-based companies that don’t usually produce PPE are working hard to make supplies for medical professionals, and government authorities are helping them by certifications and approval for the same. Advancells is on the forefront of manufacturing and supplying DRDO certified PPE Kits for medical professionals and health workers. For enquiries and delivery, mail us at [email protected]. 

Advancellsgroup: Corona Protection Kit