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The article covers issues related to the specifics of requirements for the personal protection equipment (PPE) in the field of the nuclear power usage, and briefly describes the history of the PPE evolvement. This work was performed by the employees of the A.I. Burnazyan Federal Medical Biophysical Centre (former Institute of biophysics) which has been creating and enhancing PPE for the personnel of radiation hazardous facilities for more than 60 years. Successes of the PPE developers include the creation of the light respirator “ShB-1 Lepestok” which has been in use since 1950s till now in almost all industries, energy engineering, agriculture, medicine, etc., as well as the development of materials, structures, technology of manufacturing and practical application of reusable, decontaminable, physiologically acceptable insulating suits, fresh-air horse respiratory PPE, decontaminable basic and supplementary overalls and safety footwear for the personnel of nuclear industry and energetics. The system of the personal protection from radiation exposure has been proved during rectification of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl NPP. The article examines interim results of major transformation of the personal protection system for the personnel of radiation hazardous facilities in the beginning of 21st century. At the present time efforts on the creation of the PPE standardization and certification system in nuclear industry become regular again. Interstate and national standards regulating requirements and test methods for PPE and materials for its manufacturing, as well as the Technical Regulations “Safety of the personal protection equipment” have been both developed and put in practice. Methods of testing PPE with substances specific to the nuclear industry are being developed, and the Rosatom’s PPE certification system is being formed.

Background: Occupational accidents in the construction sector are still a major problem in every infrastructure development in Indonesia. The lack of supervision in the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is one reason for the high number of occupational accidents. This study aimed to determine the factors that influence the implementation of the use of PPE. Subjects and Method: A cross sectional study was conducted at Yogyakarta International Airport, Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, in March 2019. A sample of 200 active field workers was selected by proportional random sampling. The dependent variable was the use of PPE. The independent variables were age, education, working experience, knowledge, perception of vulnerability, perceived benefit, perceived severity, and cues to action. The data were collected by questionnaire and analyzed by path analysis. Results: The use of PPE was directly and positively affected by high knowledge (b= 2.14; 95% CI= 1.17 to 3.10; p

Background: Farmers in Bumen Village used pesticide from group of organophospat, carbamate, piretroid, and nicotinoid. The dose of pesticide that mix in one tank is not appropriate dosage. A preliminary survey found that farmers mixed more than a two types of pesticides and 100% of farmers did not use the complete Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when preparing pesticides to spray. Hypertension is more prevalent in males with an 18.8% prevalence in Sumowono District in 2015 and becomes the number one disease each month in 2017. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of the amount of pesticide and the amount of PPE with diastolic blood pressure in farmers in Bumen Village, Sumowono District, Semarang Regency. Independent variables were amount of pesticide and amount of PPE. Dependent variable was diastolic blood pressure.Methods: This study was observational with cross sectional design using purposive sampling. Samples were 35 respondents. The measurement methods were questionnaire and digital tensimeter. Data analysis used Rank Spearman.Results: The results showed that measurement of diastolic blood pressure has an average of 88.75 mmHg. The amount of pesticide (p=0,007; r=0,455) had an influence with diastolic blood pressure, positive correlation, the strenght of correlation was enough and the amount of PPE (p=0,034; r=-0,36) had an influence with diastolic blood pressure, negative correlation, the strenght of correlation was enoughConclusions: From this study can be concluded that the amount of pesticide and the amount of PPE affected the diastolic blood pressure in farmers in Bumen Village, Sumowono District, Semarang Regency.

Bekerja di rumah sakit dapat menimbulkan risiko untuk tertular penyakit dari pasien. Risiko ini tidak hanya berpotensi bagi tenaga medis saja, namun juga terhadap tenaga non medis seperti petugas kebersihan. Saat bekerja risiko yang selalu dihadapi oleh petugas kebersihan adalah terpapar faktor biologi dan terpapar bahan kimia atau obat pembersih. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis risiko keselamatan dan kesehatan kerja apa saja yang dapat terjadi pada petugas kebersihan di RSUD Tugurejo Semarang. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif analitik. Identifikasi risiko menggunakan JSA (Job Safety Analysis), pengambilan data dilakukan dengan cara observasional dan wawancara. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa risiko yang dihadapi petugas kebersihan adalah risiko terpapar kuman, bakteri dan virus dan terpapar obat kemoterapi, dengan tingkat risiko termasuk dalam high risk (36,6%). Risiko tertusuk jarum suntik atau tergores benda tajam, terpeleset atau jatuh karena lantai licin, gangguan muskuloskeletal, terjatuh dari tangga, dan tersengat listrik merupakan risiko dengan tingkatan moderate risk (45,1%). Risiko alergi atau iritasi terhadap penggunaan bahan kimia merupakan risiko dengan tingkatan low risk (18,3%). Untuk mengendalikan risiko tersebut, disarankan kepada petugas kebersihan agar selalu menggunakan alat pelindung diri yang baik dan benar dimana pun dan kapan pun saat melakukan pekerjaan. Selain itu juga sebaiknya dilakukan evaluasi tentang jenis APD yang digunakan petugas kebersihan, terutama mengenai kesesuaian jenis APD dengan pekerjaan yang dilakukan.

Due to the threat of COVID-19 pandemic, personal protection equipment (PPE) has raised lots of attentions to protect people from infection. This unprecedented virus can be spread through airborne, respiratory droplets and social contact. Although there are some devices and PPEs for people who are conscious and able to obey the social distance policy, to protect infants is still challenging. Baby is one of the vulnerable groups to the disease but there is no appropriate PPE when baby needs to be exposed to irresistible events like visiting a hospital, receiving vaccination or being accompanied by parents who come home from work). In this study, a concept of smart baby protective tent is developed. The simple hardware offers a quick assembly using PVC pipes, 3D-printed joints and a transparent cover sheet to create an independent and safe space from direct and indirect infection through breathing or saliva. With two additional parts, the smart baby protective tent can thereby provide clear air circulation and modern care. A fan system equipped with a clamp for a disposable medical-certified mask is applied to supply clean and circulated air for the babies. Functional sensors are attached to detect essential signals like body temperature, environment temperature, humidity, vibration, brightness, sound, CO2, and PM 2.5. These received signals are processed via a micro-controller and can be uploaded to personal social media in order to increase caregivers’ awareness of the babies’ situation inside the tent.

The appearance of the virus SARS-CoV-2 at the end of 2019 and its spreading all over the world has caused global panic and increase of personal protection equipment usage to protect people against infection. Increased usage of disposable protective gloves, their discarding to random spots and getting to landfills may result in significant environmental pollution. The knowledge concerning possible influence of gloves and potential of gloves debris on the environment (water, soil, etc.), wildlife and humans is crucial to predict future consequences of disposable gloves usage caused by the pandemic. This review focuses on the possibility of chemical release (heavy metals and organic pollutants) from gloves and gloves materials, their adsorptive properties in terms of contaminants accumulation and effects of gloves degradation under environmental conditions., Graphical abstract

IntroductionHealth care workers (HCWs) are at the forefront to fight against COVID-19 pandemic. They are at more risk of contracting the infection. This study was planned to assess potential risk factors of 2019-novel coronavirus infection among HCWs working in a health facility and to evaluate the effectiveness of infection prevention and control measures among them.MethodsA study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital among HCWs who were directly or indirectly involved in the management of a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19. The socio-demographic characteristics, history of exposure, IPC measures followed and clinical symptoms were compared between health care workers in COVID and non-COVID areas.ResultsMajority (45%) of HCWs were nurses, followed by hospital/sanitary/technical attendants (30%) and doctors (24%). Out of a total of 256 HCWs, 2% tested positive. Around 80% of HCWs had ever attended any IPC training. A statistically significant association was found between posting area of HCWs and their exposure to COVID patients (duration of exposure, PPE has worn by HCWs, direct contact of HCWs with the patient’s material) and COVID positivity ( P value ConclusionIf health care workers were trained and take adequate precautions then the risk of getting an infection is minimized.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, Objective: Examine the effect of a universal facemask policy for healthcare workers (HCW) and incidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) positivity. Methods: Daily number of symptomatic HCW tested, SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates, and HCW job-descriptions were collected pre and post Universal HCW facemask policy (March 26, 2020). Multiple change point regression was used to model positive-test-rate data. SARS-CoV-2 testing and positivity rates were compared for pre-intervention, transition, post-intervention, and follow-up periods. Results: Between March 12 and August 10, 2020, 19.2% of HCW were symptomatic for COVID-19 and underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing. A single change point was identified ∼March 28–30 (95% probability). Before the change point, the odds of a tested HCW having a positive result doubled every 4.5 to 7.5 days. Post-change-point, the odds of a tested HCW having a positive result halved every 10.5 to 13.5 days. Conclusions: Universal facemasks were associated with reducing HCW's risk of acquiring COVID-19.

ANTECEDENTES: La pandemia de COVID-19 ha ocasionado que los servicios de cirugia y de salud en todo el mundo tengan que reorganizarse y planear para poder brindar la mejor atencion a los pacientes, con la proteccion necesaria para el personal de salud. Algunos de estos pacientes requeriran tratamiento quirurgico, ya sea electivo o de urgencia. OBJETIVO: Reportar la experiencia inicial en el manejo de pacientes con COVID-19 que ameritaron tratamiento quirurgico por los servicios de cirugia de un hospital de referencia. METODO: Revision de los protocolos quirurgicos, equipo de proteccion personal usado por los equipos quirurgicos y resultados del tratamiento de 42 pacientes sometidos a cirugia en un periodo de 4 meses. RESULTADOS: Fueron intervenidos 42 pacientes con COVID-19. Treinta pacientes tenian diagnostico de infeccion por SARS-CoV-2 y en 12 casos el diagnostico fue clinico y por imagen. Las cirugias mas frecuentes fueron traqueostomia en 16 pacientes (38%) y laparotomias exploradoras en 8 pacientes (19%). La mediana de estancia posoperatoria fue de 17 dias y la mortalidad durante los primeros 30 dias fue del 26%. CONCLUSIONES: Es necesaria la reorganizacion de los departamentos quirurgicos y del hospital para poder atender adecuadamente a los pacientes con COVID-19 y proteger al personal de salud. Los pacientes pueden presentan patologias que requieran tratamiento quirurgico. Relacionado con la infeccion y la mayor frecuencia de comorbilidad, la mortalidad de estos pacientes es elevada. INTRODUCTION: the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a reorganization of hospital and general surgery departments worldwide to assure the best medical and surgical treatment of patients with this disease and protection of the health-related personnel. Some of them will require surgical treatment either elective or urgent. OBJECTIVE: report the initial experience in the management of patients with COVID-19 in a third level hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: a review of the surgical protocols, personal protection equipment used by the surgical teams, and results of the treatment of forty-two patients submitted to surgery. RESULTS: During four months (April-July 2020) forty-two patients with suspicion or confirmed infection of SARS-CoV2 underwent surgical treatment. The most common surgery was tracheostomy in 16 patients (38%) followed by exploratory laparotomy in 8 patients (19%). The median postoperative stay was 17 days and the thirty-day postoperative mortality rate was 26%. CONCLUSIONS: reorganization of the general surgery department and the hospital, favors adequate management and treatment of patients with COVID-19 and protection to the health-related personnel. Due to the usual co-existence of comorbidities and pulmonary complications the postoperative mortality of these patients is high.

The COVID-19 has affected all major aspects of the society in a global perspective. The role of nanotechnology is much sought after in fighting this pandemic. Advanced materials based on nanotechnology are the basis of several technologies starting from masks and personal protection equipment to specific diagnostic tools that could diminish the impact of COVID-19. Development of nanotechnology-based products is therefore an absolute necessity for fight against COVID-19. We examine the fundamental concepts related to virology, histopathologic findings and how nanotechnology can help in fighting the disease. In this review we discuss the state of the art and ongoing nanotechnology-based strategies like antiviral coatings, 3D printing and therapeutics to fight against this deadly disease. The importance of using nanoparticles in point of care tests and biosensors is also highlighted.

The global epidemic caused by novel coronavirus continues to be a crisis in the world and a matter of concern. The way the epidemic has wreaked havoc on the international level has become difficult for the healthcare systems to supply adequately personal protection equipment for medical personnel all over the globe. In this paper, considering the COVID-19 outbreak, a multi-objective, multi-product, and multi-period model for the personal protection equipment demands satisfaction aiming to optimize total cost and shortage, simultaneously, is developed. The model is embedded with instances and validated by both modern and classic multi-objective metaheuristic algorithms. Moreover, the Taguchi method is exploited to set the metaheuristic into their best performances by finding their parameters' optimum level. Furthermore, fifteen test examples are designed to prove the established PPE supply chain model and tuned algorithms' applicability. Among the test examples, one is related to a real case study in Iran. Finally, metaheuristics are evaluated by a series of related metrics through different statistical analyses. It can be concluded from the obtained results that solution methods are practical and valuable to achieve the efficient shortage level and cost.

As the airways of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients contain a high viral load, bronchoscopy is associated with increased risk of patient to health care worker transmission due to aerosolised viral particles and contamination of surfaces during bronchoscopy. Bronchoscopy is not appropriate for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infection and, as an aerosol generating procedure involving a significant risk of transmission, has a very limited role in the management of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients including children. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic rigid bronchoscopy should be avoided due to the increased risk of droplet spread. Flexible bronchoscopy should be performed first in SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals or in unknown cases, to determine if rigid bronchoscopy is indicated. When available single-use flexible bronchoscopes may be considered for use; devices are available with a range of diameters, and improved image quality and degrees of angulation. When rigid bronchoscopy is necessary, jet ventilation must be avoided and conventional ventilation be used to reduce the risk of aerosolisation. Adequate personal protection equipment is key, as is training of health care workers in correct donning and doffing. Modified full face masks are a practical and safe alternative to filtering facepieces for use in bronchoscopy. When anaesthetic and infection prevention control protocols are strictly adhered to, bronchoscopy can be performed in SARS-CoV-2 positive children.

Objective The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has created hitherto unknown challenges for healthcare systems and patient care. This study aimed to analyze its influence on patient care and healthcare management in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) in Germany. Materials and methods A nationwide survey of the German Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery was performed. Individual questionnaires containing 10 questions for university as well as non-university hospitals and 15 questions for private practices (PPs) for OMFS were created to collect data for patient numbers and surgical procedures conducted, usage of personal protection equipment (PPE), SARS-CoV-2 tests, and economic aspects. Results Fifty-four hospitals and 240 PPs participated in the study. The reduction in ward capacities and number of surgical procedures ranged from 17 to 78%. PPE consisted of standard surgical masks (58% hospitals, 64% PPs) and FFP2/N95/KN95 respirators (45% hospitals, 48% PPs). Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 tests were more frequently performed in hospitals (34% vs 2%). At PPs, turnover for medical and dental procedures billed to the public insurance had reduced to 58.81% and 62.43%, respectively, of the corresponding values for 2019, and 58.75% of the PPs had applied for short-time allowances. Conclusion With the exception of some elective procedures, primary patient care in OMFS has been assured during the pandemic. However, the immense economic burden on hospitals and PPs cannot be conclusively assessed at this point. Clinical relevance For OMFS, the German healthcare system has shown the ability to adapt to emergency situations such as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Adequate surgical capacities in OMFS are necessary even during pandemics.

Introduction: The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus has affected many people in India in 2020. This has put a huge strain on hospitals and healthcare workers. Burn patients usually require hospitalisation and surgery, which adds to the burden of care provided by healthcare workers. Modifications in management protocol during a pandemic are of utmost importance to prevent transmission of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) while simultaneously treating burn patients. Aim: To study burn demography and describe changes in burn management protocol during COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was done from March to July 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic’s initial stages in India, at a tertiary care hospital in Southern India. During these months, screening protocol and guidelines for admission and testing of patients for COVID-19 were followed as given by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). All burn patients who visited the hospital’s Emergency Room (ER) during this period were included in the study. Those patients whose records were incomplete were excluded from the study. Detailed documentation was done of patient’s burn history, travel history and contact history by healthcare workers wearing level 1 Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). Demographic details were collected and entered into Microsoft Excel spread sheet and the percentages were calculated. Results: A total of 77 burn patients visited the ER and 44 patients required admission. A total of 22 (50%) of the admissions were children. A total of 45 patients (58.44%) had sustained scald burns, 23 patients (29.87%) sustained flame burns and nine patients (11.69%) sustained electric burns. Thirty two patients sustained burns upto 20% and 12 patients had major burns (>20%). Nine patients underwent surgery. There were two fatalities. All patients were seen by healthcare workers wearing level 1 PPE. No COVID-19 positive patient was reported during the study period. Conclusion: There was an increase in paediatric burn accidents during the COVID-19 pandemic in India due to crowded and congested homes and a lack of continuous supervision from adults otherwise occupied with work done remotely from home. It is routine practice to admit only critical burn patients or in situations where home care is not possible. Minor burns dressing must be done at home instead of; at Outpatient Department (OPD) visit. Lifesaving surgeries in children were done using live skin donor. Diagnosis, treatment, physiotherapy and follow-up of patients through teleconsultation to avoid spread of COVID- 19 virus was encouraged.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, personal protection equipment (PPE) was widely used to control the virus further spared. In this study, the presence of PPE wastes along the coastline of Bushehr port, the Persian Gulf from nine stations was investigated (4 times during 40 days), and their potential for microplastics (MPs) creation was preliminarily assessed. In total, more than 2380 PPE were collected in the study area. No significant differences were found between various beaches regarding their types and common activities. In addition, the estimated disposal rate of PPE per day and year is 350 and 127,750 items, respectively. More than 10% of the collected PPE from Bushehr's coastal areas on each sampling day were damaged. Based on the microscopic analysis, the left surgical masks and torn plastic gloves in the coastal regions are emerging sources of secondary microfibers and MP particles (mostly fragments and films) in the marine environments, respectively., Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image

Objectives: to identify the challenges to actions to contain bacterial resistance. Methods: cross-sectional study, carried out in 30 large-sized hospitals in Minas Gerais, from 2018 to 2019. The professionals were interviewed, and the environment and actions to prevent bacterial resistance were observed. Results: regarding the knowledge of health care professionals about the measures of bacterial resistance prevention, 78.3% did not correctly describe the five moments of hand hygiene, and 76.6% did not correctly describe the measures to control bacterial resistance. The simple hygiene of hands, followed by alcohol rubbing was predominant (48.3%) among workers, and soap dispensers were next to alcohol dispensers in 58.3% of the nursing stations in care units. Conclusions: the insufficient knowledge from the professionals, which is a failure related to the physical structure and to personal protection equipment, are factors that difficult the adherence to measures to contain bacterial resistance in hospitals. RESUMEN Objetivos: identificar dificultades para adhesión a acciones de contención de resistencia bacteriana. Métodos: estudio transversal, realizado en 30 grandes hospitales de Minas Gerais, de 2018 a 2019. Entrevistaron profesionales; observaron ambiente y acciones de prevención de resistencia bacteriana. Resultados: el conocimiento de los profesionales asistenciales acerca de medidas de prevención de resistencia bacteriana, 78,3% no describieron correctamente los cinco momentos para higienización de las manos; y 76,6%, las medidas de control de resistencia bacteriana. Identificó que la higienización simple de las manos seguida por fricción alcohólica fue predominante (48,3%) entre los profesionales y que dispensadores de jabonete y alcohol estaban lado a lado en 58,3% de los puestos de enfermería de las unidades asistenciales. Conclusiones: el conocimiento insuficiente de los profesionales, fallas relacionadas a la estructura física y a los equipos de protección individuales son factores dificultadores para la adhesión a las medidas de contención de resistencia bacteriana en hospitales. RESUMO Objetivos: identificar as dificuldades para adesão às ações de contenção da resistência bacteriana. Métodos: estudo transversal, realizado em 30 hospitais de grande porte de Minas Gerais, de 2018 a 2019. Entrevistaram-se os profissionais; observaram-se o ambiente e as ações de prevenção da resistência bacteriana. Resultados: sobre o conhecimento dos profissionais assistenciais acerca das medidas de prevenção da resistência bacteriana, 78,3% não descreveram corretamente os cinco momentos para higienização das mãos; e 76,6%, as medidas de controle da resistência bacteriana. Identificou-se que a higienização simples das mãos seguida por fricção alcoólica foi predominante (48,3%) entre os profissionais e que dispensadores de sabonete e álcool estavam lado a lado em 58,3% dos postos de enfermagem das unidades assistenciais. Conclusões: o conhecimento insuficiente dos profissionais, falhas relacionadas à estrutura física e aos equipamentos de proteção individuais são fatores dificultadores para a adesão às medidas de contenção da resistência bacteriana nos hospitais.

Introduction:recent infectious disease outbreaks like COVID-19 highlights the importance of personal protective equipments and competent professionals on public health preparedness and response in health care systems. Hence, understanding availability of personal protective equipments and training status of health professionals is very important to fill the gap of COVID-19 preparedness and response. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess availability and adequacy of personal protective equipments and health professional's training status on COVID-19 in Silte zone, southern Ethiopia. Methods:cross sectional study was conducted from August to October 2020 in Silte Zone. First four weredas from 13 were selected randomly. Systematic sampling technique was used to select 351 health professionals from 13 health facilities of selected weredas. Results:overall, only 36.1% of the health professionals have received adequate training on COVID-19. About 30% of the health professionals had taken training on emergency plan of COVID-19, about 33% had been taught on COVID-19 treatment procedures. Majority 80.9% of the respondents indicated that personal protective equipments are inadequately available. Face masks, hand sanitizers and eye goggles were most scarce PPEs. Conclusion:health professionals have been at the frontlines in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, challenges remain, such as limited availability of personal protection equipments and inadequate training of healthcare professions was identified by this study. Strengthening of training on COVID-19 and making PPEs adequately available were recommended.

The large extension and complex structure of most industrial and construction areas very often make it unfeasible or inconvenient for human operators to constantly survey all the workers to detect those who do not properly wear their Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) devices. However, such a detection is of utmost importance to reduce the number of worker injuries. Consequently, the adoption of a computer vision system based on Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) that performs PPE detection by analysing the video streams from surveillance cameras is an appealing option. For instance, smart video cameras placed in the workplace might process the video frames at run-time and trigger alarms whenever they detect workers not correctly wearing PPE devices. However, in order to be sufficiently accurate, DNN-based object detection requires a high computational power that is difficult to embed in cameras. Moreover, DNN training has to be done on a large dataset with thousands of labeled image samples, and therefore the creation of a customized DNN to detect special PPE devices requires a huge effort in finding and labeling images to train the network. This paper proposes a PPE detection framework that combines DNN-based object detection with human judgement through fuzzy logic filtering. The proposed framework runs in near real-time on embedded devices and can be trained with a low number of images (i.e., few hundreds), still providing good accuracy results.

Background Healthcare workers (HCW) are at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection from both patients and other HCW with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values of SARS-CoV-2 ≤ 34 and the first 7–9 days of symptoms are associated with enhanced infectivity. We determined Ct values and duration of symptoms of HCW with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test. As HCW often assume their greatest risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 is working on a COVID-19 unit, we also determined Ct values and symptom duration of inpatients with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test. Methods From 6/24/2020-8/23/2020, Ct values and duration of symptoms from 13 HCW, 12 outpatients, and 28 inpatients who had a positive nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed. Results Among HCW with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, 46.2% (6/13) were asymptomatic and requested testing due to an exposure to someone with COVID-19; 83.3% (5/6) of those exposures occurred in the community rather than in the hospital. The median Ct value of HCW was 23.2, and 84.6% (11/13) had a Ct value ≤ 34. The median Ct value of 29.0 among outpatients with COVID-19 did not significantly differ from HCW. In contrast, inpatients with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test had a median Ct value of 34.0 (p = 0.003), which translated into a median ~1,000-fold lower viral load than observed in HCW. Among those with symptoms related to COVID-19, no (0/6) HCW compared to 50% (6/12) of inpatients had symptoms for at least one week (p = 0.04). Conclusions At our institution, asymptomatic COVID-19 accounted for nearly half of the cases among HCW. Symptomatic HCW had high viral loads and short duration of symptoms, both of which are associated with peak infectivity. Infection prevention programs should educate HCW on these findings in an effort to increase adherence to the requirement to maintain six feet separation in workspaces and breakrooms, in addition to consistently wearing personal protection equipment.

The COVID-19 pandemic required the adoption of several health-safety practices that have been demonstrated to be crucial for limiting the spread of the virus, including the use of personal protection equipment (PPE). Particularly, face masks have become a ubiquitous component of our daily lives. However, despite their effectiveness, they have several drawbacks. In addition to being uncomfortable for many users, they entirely cover the mouth, which, in turn, poses limitations to non-verbal communication and interpersonal interaction. In this paper, we present the user-centered design process of a solution that augments face masks with additional features that support interaction, awareness, and engagement.

Globally, humanity is facing its most significant challenge in 100 years due to the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which is responsible for COVID-19. Under the enormous pressure created by the pandemic, scientists are studying virus transmission mechanisms in order to develop effective mitigation strategies. However, no established methods have been developed to control the spread of this deadly virus. In addition, the ease in lockdown has escalated air pollution which may affect SARS-CoV-2 transmission through attachment to particulates. The present review summarizes the role of graphene nanomaterials, which show antimicrobial behavior and have antiviral efficacy, in reducing the spread of COVID-19. Graphene and its derivatives have excellent antimicrobial efficacy, providing both physical and chemical mechanisms of damage. Coupled with their lightness, optimal properties, and ease of functionalization, they are optimal nanomaterials for coating onto fabrics such as personal protection equipment, face masks and gloves to control the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 effectively. Biosensors using graphene can effectively detect the virus with high accuracy and sensitivity, providing rapid quantification. It is envisioned that the present work will boost the development of graphene-based highly sensitive, accurate and cost-effective diagnostic tools for efficiently monitoring and controlling the spread of COVID-19 and other air-borne viruses.

While the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic affirms an urgent global need for effective vaccines as second and third infection waves are spreading worldwide and generating new mutant virus strains, it has also revealed the importance of mitigating the transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 through the introduction of restrictive social practices. Here, it is demonstrated that an architecturally‐ and chemically‐diverse family of nanostructured anionic polymers yield a rapid and continuous disinfecting alternative to inactivate coronaviruses and prevent their transmission from contact with contaminated surfaces. Operating on a dramatic pH‐drop mechanism along the polymer/pathogen interface, polymers of this archetype inactivate the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus, as well as a human coronavirus surrogate (HCoV‐229E), to the minimum detection limit within minutes. Application of these anionic polymers to frequently touched surfaces in medical, educational, and public‐transportation facilities, or personal protection equipment, can provide rapid and repetitive protection without detrimental health or environmental complications., In the presence of water, the low pH that develops on nanostructured anionic block polymers prepared as stand‐alone films or surface coatings successfully inactivates pathogenic coronaviruses such as SARS‐CoV‐2 by at least 99.9% in just a few minutes. This class of sulfonated materials serves as a new and expedient route to combat the transmission of disease.

Background and study aims The impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on stent placement procedures has not yet been reported. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on upper stenting during SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, as well as the use of personal protection equipment (PPE) and risk of contamination for patients and staff. Patients and methods This was a multicenter, retrospective study of consecutive patients who underwent stent placement for upper gastrointestinal obstruction during the second half of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak period in comparison to same period one year before. Results A total of 29 stents were placed for upper gastrointestinal obstruction during the study period, corresponding to an increase of 241 % comparing to the same period in 2019 (n = 12). No significant major differences were found between the two time periods regarding patients’ baseline characteristics, post-stenting management and number of staff involved in stent placement. Fellows’ involvement was significantly lower in 2020 compared to 2019 (21 % vs 67 %; P = 0.01). The majority of procedures were performed using FFP2 /FFP3 mask (76 %), protective eyewear (86 %), two pairs of gloves (65 %), hairnet (76 %) and full disposable gowns (90 %). One patient tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 after the procedure. None of the medical staff involved in stenting procedures developed COVID-19 14 days after procedure. Conclusion Upper gastrointestinal stenting increased during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak period, which could be related to yearly variation on the number of procedures or reflect a change of oncologic treatment practice during COVID times.

Submitted by Daniella Santos (daniella.santos@ufma.br) on 2021-01-15T13:32:11Z No. of bitstreams: 1 LEONELLUCAS.pdf: 2941160 bytes, checksum: 65ce22e6817efafb9f361ece7efe2982 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2021-01-15T13:32:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LEONELLUCAS.pdf: 2941160 bytes, checksum: 65ce22e6817efafb9f361ece7efe2982 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2020-12-28 Introduction: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every year three million health professionals in the world are exposed to blood pathogens through percutaneous accidents. As a precaution to reduce this exposure is the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which work as barriers to protect the mucous membranes, airways and skin. Objective: To analyze the use of personal protective equipment among health professionals who have suffered work accidents with exposure to biological material occurred in Brazil (ATEMB), in the period from 2010 to 2018. Method: A trend study, ecological type, of time series of the use of PPE by health professionals victims of ATEMB, in Brazil was carried out; and a crosssectional, analytical type study on the factors associated with the use of PPE by health professionals injured in biological material in Brazil. The information was collected from the Ministry of Health's Information System on Notifiable Diseases. Descriptive analysis of the data was performed and the proportions of the use of PPE were calculated. For the analysis of trends on the use of PPE during work accidents, the Prais-Winsten procedure was used for generalized linear regression. The trend of the coefficients was assessed in terms of growth, decline or stability. For the study of associated factors, a descriptive analysis of the data was performed and, subsequently, the univariate analysis to verify the association of the independent variables in relation to the outcome (effective adherence: use of at least three PPE), the model of Poisson regression with robust variance. In multivariate analysis, Poisson regression with robust variance and hierarchical modeling was also used to control possible confounding factors and estimate the prevalence ratios (PR) between the independent variables and the outcome. The research complied with the ethical aspects of Resolutions 466/12 and 510/2016 of the National Health Council, assessed and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University Hospital of the Federal University of Maranhão. Results: In the analysis of the time series trend, positive growth was evidenced both for general national data and for all regions of Brazil. Thus, there was an increase in the use of PPE in all regions of the country, but, when analyzing the Federative Units, the trends were heterogeneous. The North region had the highest rates of change in Brazil (especially the states of Rondônia and Amapá́). The Northeast region had the lowest rate of variation between regions and the state of Sergipe was the only one that showed a downward trend. In the Midwest region, only Goiás showed an increasing trend. The South and Southeast regions were the only homogeneous regions, in which all UFs showed an increasing trend. In the study of associated factors, it was identified that, of the 308,997 ATEMBs among health professionals, only 27.38% used three or more PPE at the time of the accident. It was observed in the adjusted analysis that being a professional aged 40 years or less, having 12 years or less of schooling, working in the capital or metropolitan region, working with a technical level occupation, being 10 years old or less or more than 20 years old accidents, accidents due to percutaneous exposure, blood and sharps, were related to greater chances of not using PPE in cases of work accidents. Conclusion: The findings point to the need to strengthen permanent education for health professionals, especially in regions with lower proportions of adherence to the use of PPE and in those that did not show growth in adherence to the use of PPE. The identification of the prevalence and factors associated with occupational accidents among health professionals can allow interventions on risky behavior and improvement in the quality of working conditions. Introdução: De acordo com a Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS), a cada ano, três milhões de profissionais de saúde no mundo são expostos a patógenos sanguíneos através dos acidentes percutâneos. Como precaução para reduzir essa exposição elenca-se o uso de Equipamentos de Proteção Individual (EPI), que funcionam como barreiras de proteção das mucosas, vias aéreas e pele. Objetivo: Analisar o uso de equipamentos de proteção individual entre os profissionais de saúde que sofreram acidentes de trabalho com exposição a material biológico ocorridos no Brasil (ATEMB), no período de 2010 a 2018. Método: Realizou-se um estudo de tendência, tipo ecológico, de séries temporais do uso de EPIs por profissionais de saúde vítimas de ATEMB, no Brasil; e um estudo transversal, tipo analítico, sobre os fatores associados ao uso EPIs por profissionais de saúde acidentados com material biológico no Brasil. As informações foram coletadas a partir do banco de dados do Sistema de Informação sobre Agravos de Notificação (Sinan) do Ministério da Saúde. Realizou-se análise descritiva dos dados e foram calculadas as proporções do uso de EPIs. Para análise das tendências sobre o uso de EPI durante o acidente de trabalho, utilizou-se o procedimento de Prais-Winsten para regressão linear generalizada. A tendência dos coeficientes foi avaliada em crescimento, declínio ou estabilidade. Para o estudo de fatores associados realizou-se a análise descritiva dos dados e, posteriormente, a análise univariada para verificar a associação das variáveis independentes em relação ao desfecho (adesão efetiva: uso de pelo menos três EPI), utilizou-se o modelo de regressão de Poisson com variância robusta. Na análise multivariada também foi utilizada a regressão de Poisson com variância robusta e modelagem hierarquizada para controle de possíveis fatores de confusão e estimação das razões de prevalência (RP) entre as variáveis independentes e o desfecho. A pesquisa atendeu aos aspectos éticos das Resoluções 466/12 e 510/2016 do Conselho Nacional de Saúde (CNS), apreciado e aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Maranhão. Resultados: Na análise da tendência de série temporal, evidenciou-se crescimento positivo tanto para os dados gerais nacionais, quanto para todas as regiões do Brasil. Assim, houve aumento do uso de EPIs em todas as regiões do país, mas, ao analisar as Unidades Federativas, as tendências foram heterogêneas. A região Norte apresentou as maiores taxas de variação do Brasil (com destaque para os estados de Rondônia e Amapá́). A região Nordeste teve a menor taxa de variação entre as regiões e o estado de Sergipe foi o único que apresentou tendência decrescente. Na região Centro-Oeste apenas Goiás apresentou tendência crescente. As regiões Sul e Sudeste foram as únicas regiões homogêneas, nas quais todas as UFs apresentaram tendência crescente. No estudo de fatores associados foi identificado que, dos 308.997 ATEMBs entre os profissionais de saúde, apenas 27,38% utilizavam três ou mais EPIs no momento do acidente. Observou-se na análise ajustada que ser profissional com idade menor ou igual a 40 anos, ter 12 anos ou menos de escolaridade, trabalhar na capital ou região metropolitana, trabalhar com ocupação de nível técnico, ter 10 anos ou menos ou mais de 20 anos de trabalho, acidentar-se por exposição percutânea, por sangue e por perfurocortantes, relacionaram-se a maiores chances de não estar usando EPI nos casos de acidentes de trabalho. Conclusão: Os achados apontam para a necessidade de fortalecimento da educação permanente direcionada aos profissionais de saúde, principalmente nas regiões com menores proporções de adesão ao uso de EPI e nas que não apresentaram crescimento de adesão ao uso de EPI. A identificação da prevalência e dos fatores associados aos acidentes de trabalho entre os profissionais de saúde podem permitir intervenções sobre comportamentos de risco e melhoria na qualidade das condições de trabalho.

Safety Management System (SMS) incorporates direction on the safety, guideline and documentation, safety preparing, crisis readiness and also reaction arrangement and safety approach. It is an important element to be implemented in the construction industry. Therefore, it is important for the small contractors to develop, implement and maintain the safety management system in their project. This paper aims to identify the safety management system amongst small contractors in Malaysia. Questionnaires survey was sent out to 100 small contractors of Grade G1 registered under the Malaysian Construction Industry Board (CIDB) with a thirty-five (35%) returned. As a result, it was found that the problems that occur in construction sites were improper controls machine, inadequate maintenance, unsafe of employee attitudes, unsafe conditions of materials, plants and equipment, ineffective of training of instruction, use of alcohols and drugs, lack of communication, improper motivation of operational personnel as well as improper safety rules and guideline. It is recommended that the small contractors should implement the safety management techniques or procedures during the construction to avoid and control the risk and need to develop and conduct the safety training programmes and training policy for the workers on the site. They must provide an adequate Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for workers on site for protection and prevent from risks and accidents which may occur during construction operation.

The SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic has produced widespread shortages of certified air-filtering personal protection equipment and an acute need for rapid evaluation of breathability and filtration efficiency of proposed alternative solutions. Here, we describe experimental efforts to nondestructively quantify three vital characteristics of mask approaches: breathability, material filtration effectiveness, and sensitivity to fit. We focus on protection against aqueous aerosols >0.3 μm using off-the-shelf particle, flow, and pressure sensors, permitting rapid comparative evaluation of these three properties. We present and discuss both the pressure drop and the particle penetration as a function of flow to permit comparison of relative protection for a set of proposed filter and mask designs. The design considerations of the testing apparatus can be reproduced by university laboratories and medical facilities and used for rapid local quality control of respirator masks that are of uncertified origin, monitoring the long-term effects of various disinfection schemes and evaluating improvised products not designed or marketed for filtration.

Background: Patients with asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can transmit the disease to others. Since the trauma patients represent a portion of society and can be asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19, it is essential for medical staff to use precautions when managing all trauma patients with or without symptoms of COVID-19. Case Report: In this article, we discuss three patients with bone fractures who had no previous symptoms of COVID-19. Two cases were old patients with intertrochanteric fractures, and the other one was a young man with a distal clavicular fracture. All patients were diagnosed incidentally in the course of the admission. Conclusion: Emergency room (ER) personnel and orthopedic surgeons should be aware of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. It is important to use standard personal protective equipment (PPE) during the evaluation of all patients with orthopedic trauma to prevent disease spread.

Background Residential care homes for the elderly are important settings for transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 disease. Methods We undertook secondary analysis of 248 care homes in Norfolk, UK. The dataset counted nurses, care workers and non-care workers, their status (available, absent due to leave or sickness and extra staff needed to address the coronavirus pandemic) and residents (if any) with suspected COVID-19 in the period 6 April to 6 May 2020. Concurrent descriptions of access by the home to personal protection equipment (PPE: gloves, masks, eye protection, aprons and sanitizer) were in the data. PPE access was categorized as (most to least) green, amber or red. We undertook two-stage modelling, first for suspected COVID-19 cases amongst residents and second relating any increases in case counts after introduction to staffing or PPE levels. Results Counts of non-care workers had strongest relationships (P Conclusion Managing aspects of staff interaction with residents and some working practices might reduce ingression to and spread of COVID-19-like illness within care homes.

Zoonotic retroviruses can cause widespread morbidity and mortality. Preventive vaccines are currently available for a limited number of viruses. Since an effective vaccine against COVID19 cannot be developed yet, personal protection equipment (PPE) is essential, especially for protecting the healthcare providers against such contaminations. Full face protecting equipment has a vital role in PPE. During the April 2020 spreading period of the COVID-19 epidemic, filter adapters were required to create a snorkel based full face mask as a PPE. This study aimed to report different production methods for filter adapters, features, advantages-disadvantages and combining the resulting mask’s physical characteristics and cost analysis.

ObjectivesWe performed an environmental sampling study to investigate the environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 by COVID-19 patients with prolonged PCR positive status of clinical samples.MethodsWe sampled the air from rooms for nine COVID-19 patients with illness or positive PCR > 30 days, before and after nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabbing and before and after nebulization treatment. We also sampled patients’ surroundings and healthcare workers’ personal protection equipment (PPE) in a non-ICU ward. SARS-CoV-2 was detected by PCR.ResultsEighty-eight samples were collected from high-touch surfaces and floors in patient rooms and toilets, with only the bedsheets of two patients and one toilet positive for SARS-CoV-2. All air samples (n = 34) were negative for SARS-CoV-2. Fifty-five samples collected from PPE were all negative.ConclusionContamination of near-patient surroundings was uncommon for COVID-19 patients with prolonged PCR positive status if environmental cleaning/disinfection were performed rigorously. Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was unlikely in these non-ICU settings.

With ongoing Corona-pandemic, the quality of personal protection equipment (PPE) across the globe is creating controversy. This article presents a novel design of a facial mask that seems suitable to deal with short airway procedures protecting the surgeon from aerosol infection. The concept, design advantages and limitations are discussed. In absence of good quality PPEs this is an excellent option to deal with airway emergencies.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic. The personal protection equipment (PPE), especially medical face masks and N95 filtering face piece respirators (FFRs) are typically worn by people at home/office/working place/outside to protect from infection. Thus, the increase in consumption of facemasks and FFRs across Qatar has given rise to a new environmental challenge, adding to the vast plastic waste in the environment. Our team has already established the baseline levels of marine litter (ML) including plastic waste along the west coast of Qatar based on November 2019 ML survey (Veerasingam et al., 2020a). To study the impact of COVID-19 on ML, we have conducted another survey along the west coast of Qatar in July 2020. The distribution of PPE is higher on the southern part of west coast of Qatar than the northern part. Attenuated total reflectance - Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy was used to characterize the polymer types of surgical facemasks, N95 FFRs and gloves. Polypropylene (PP) and polyamide (PA) were the abundant polymer types of PPEs. This study confirmed that the PPE could be a potential source for microplastic contaminant in the environment, especially if the present situation continues. Therefore, proper waste removal measures have to be followed.

The current Covid-19 Pandemic caused by the highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 virus has proven extremely difficult to prevent or control. Currently there are few treatment options and very few long-lasting disinfectants available to prevent the spread. While masks and protective clothing and “social distancing” may offer some protection, their use has not always halted or slowed the spread. Several vaccines are currently undergoing testing; however there is still a critical need to provide new methods for inactivating the virus before it can spread and infect humans. In the present study we examined the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 by synthetic conjugated polymers and oligomers developed in our laboratories as antimicrobials for bacteria, fungi and non-enveloped viruses. Our results show that we can obtain highly effective light induced inactivation with several of these oligomers and polymers including irradiation with near-UV and visible light. With both the oligomers and polymers, we can reach several logs of inactivation with relatively short irradiation times. Our results suggest several applications involving the incorporation of these materials in wipes, sprays, masks and clothing and other Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) that can be useful in preventing infections and the spreading of this deadly virus and future outbreaks from similar viruses.

Outbreaks of infectious diseases pose particular challenges for hospitals and intensive care units.Typical infectiological scenarios and their significance for modern intensive care medicine are presented.Selected pathogens/infectious diseases that have significantly strained the resources of intensive care units are described.Intensive medical care is necessary in severe cases of many infectious diseases. In the context of epidemics/pandemics, many critically ill patients have to be admitted within a short time. Examples are the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, the 2011 enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) outbreak in northern Germany, the 2014/2015 Ebola fever outbreak and the 2020 coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic. Multidisciplinary teams, protocol development, adequate staffing, and training are required to achieve optimal treatment outcomes, including prevention of healthcare worker infections.Pandemics and epidemics are unique challenges for intensive care unit preparedness planning.HINTERGRUND: Ausbrüche von Infektionskrankheiten stellen Krankenhäuser und Intensivstationen vor besondere Herausforderungen.Es werden grundlegende infektiologische Szenarien und ihre Bedeutung für die moderne Intensivmedizin dargestellt.Ausgewählte Erreger/Infektionskrankheiten, die das Potenzial haben, die Ressourcen der Intensivstationen deutlich zu belasten, werden beschrieben.Eine Intensivmedizinische Betreuung ist bei schweren Verläufen vieler Infektionserkrankungen notwendig. Im Rahmen von Epidemien/Pandemien kann es innerhalb kurzer Zeit zu einer Aufnahme von vielen kritisch kranken Patienten kommen. Beispiele dafür sind die Pandemie im Jahr 2009 durch das Influenzavirus H1N1, der Ausbruch einer Infektion mit enterohämorrhagischen Escherichia coli (EHEC) in Norddeutschland, der Ebola-Fieber-Ausbruch in den Jahren 2014/2015 und die Pandemie durch die Coronaviruserkrankung 2019 (COVID-19) im Jahr 2020. Multidisziplinäre Teams, die Entwicklung von Protokollen, eine adäquate Personalbesetzung und Schulungen sind erforderlich, um ein optimales Behandlungsergebnis zu erzielen. Dies beinhaltet insbesondere auch die Prävention von Infektionen des Gesundheitspersonals.Pandemien und Epidemien sind einzigartige Herausforderungen für die Bereitschaftsplanung der Intensivstation.

On April 8, 2020, after nearly 3 months of battling against the outbreak of COVID-19, Wuhan, where the pandemic began, began easing lockdown restrictions. However, given that asymptomatic carriers could continue to lead to transmission of COVID-19 during the very early stages, the endoscopists have taken precautions and conduct risk assessments to perform endoscopic intervention in this transition stage. Here, we have reported an urgent ERCP in a patient with acute pancreatitis secondary to JPDD-related biliary stone. Based on our experiences, the objective is to provide practical suggestions for the safe resumption of ERCP procedures in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic with specific focus on patient risk assessment, personal protection equipment (PPE), and dress code modalities, all of which have been implemented in our hospital to reduce the risk of viral transmission.

Objective Introducing a new, simple and inexpensive portable equipment for lifeguards, consisting of a pre-assembled full-size plastic blanket with a mask and HEPA filter, which could offer significant time-saving advantages to reduce COVID-19 risk transmission in the first few minutes of CPR after water rescue, avoiding the negative impact of delayed ventilation. Method A pilot study was carried out to determine the feasibility of the pre-assembled kit of face-mask and HEPA filter adapted on a pre-set plastic-blanket. The first step consisted of washing hands, putting on safety glasses and gloves as the first personal protection equipment (PPE) and then covering the victim with an assembled plastic blanket. The second step consisted of 10 min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with PPE and plastic blanket, following the technical recommendations for ventilation during COVID-19. Results Ten rescuers took part in the pilot study. The average time to wear PPE and place the pre-assembly kit on the victim was 82 s [IC 58–105]. After 10 min the quality of the resuscitation (QCPR) was 91% [87–94]. Quality chest compressions (CC) were 22% better than ventilations (V). Most of the rescuers (60%) thought that placing the plastic blanket on the victim on the beach was somewhat simple or very simple. Conclusions Resuscitation techniques in COVID-19 era at the beach have added complexities for the correct use of PPE. Plastic blanket plus basic ventilations equipment resource could be a new alternative to be considered for lifeguards to keep ventilation on use while reducing risk transmission., Highlights • Pre-assembled kit to avoid delaying CPR in the Covid-19 Era • An easy and low-cost equipment • For prehospital environments without immediate EMS assistance

The aim of this study was to evaluate the skin problems and dermatological life quality of the health care workers (HCWs) due to personal protection equipment (PPE) use, who are at high risk for Covid‐19 infection. A questionnaire about HCWs' PPE use, their skin symptoms, and prevention, management methods and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) was fulfilled. The median age of 440 participants was 33.5 (21.0‐65.0) years old. Skin problems were found to be 90.2%, the most common were dryness, itching, cracking, burning, flaking, peeling and lichenification. The presence of skin problems (P

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У статті пропонується новий підхід до проектування ліцьової фільтрувальної напівмаски пилового респіратора з урахуванням антропометричних характеристик обличчя користувачів. Розглянуто способи отримання контурів напівмаски та побудови смуги обтурації. Запропоновано дві конструкції ліцьових частин респіраторів, які порівнюються між собою за розміром площі контакту обтуратора, обличчя та розрахунковими значеннями коефіцієнта захисту. На основі отриманих даних встановлено, що напівмаски, які побудовано з урахуванням ширини та довжини обличчя, мають кращі захисні характеристики, ніж з урахуванням довжини обличчя та довжини губ. This work offers an approach to the design of the filter half-mask of a dust respirator with taking into account the anthropometric characteristics of faces of personel. The ways of obtaining half-mask contours and construction of the obturation band are considered. Two designs of the front parts of the respirators are proposed, which are in comparison with each other by the size of the contact area of the obturator and the face and the calculated values of the coefficient of protection. Based on the data obtained, it is determined that half-masks constructed with consideration for the width and length of the face have better protective performance than with consideration for the length of the face and lips. В данной статье предлагается новый подход к проектированию фильтрующей лицевой полумаски респиратора, который предназначен для защиты органов дыханияя от пыли. Метод базируется на учете антропометрических характеристик лиц пользователей. Рассмотрены способы получения контуров полумаски и построения обтурационной полосы. Предлагаются две конструкции лицевых частей респираторов, сравниваемые между собой по размеру площади контакта обтюратора, лица и расчетным значениям коэффициента защиты. На основании полученных данных установлено, что полумаски, сконструированные с учетом ширины и длины лица, обладают лучшими защитными характеристиками, чем с учетом длины лица и длины губ.

Purpose There is a paucity of evidence and guidelines to support clinical decisions in the present unprecedented time. We aimed to use the experience and consensus of the cardiac surgeons for clinical decisions until evidence-based guidelines are formed. Methods An electronic questionnaire was emailed to all the 1434 members of the Indian Association of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, starting from May 13, 2020, and the members were followed up with reminder emails. For a wider reach, social media like WhatsApp was also used to circulate the questionnaire. Participation was voluntary and anonymized. An effective consensus was considered when > 70% opted the same opinion, and moderate consensus when > 50% opted the same opinion. Results A total of 174 responses were obtained from the surgeons across the country. An effective consensus was obtained for the following: (i) emergency surgery in acute type A aortic dissection, (ii) urgent surgery in significant left main stem disease and mitral/aortic valves with pulmonary oedema, (iii) elective surgery in stable triple vessel disease and (iv) preoperative nasal swab examination for all patients undergoing surgery. Conclusion In the present era, where evidence is evolving and the country is entering a phase after lockdown, the surgeons face a dilemma in operating patients. These consensuses provide interim recommendation; still further evidence is published.