“…Rebecca Bromley-Dulfano and coauthors provide instruction on how to adopt reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) (doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-075778). 6 World production of such equipment rose by around 300% during the covid pandemic, but reusable PPE is safe, saves costs, and is a sustainable alternative to single use PPE, they conclude.…”
“…Rebecca Bromley-Dulfano and coauthors provide instruction on how to adopt reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) (doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-075778). 6 World production of such equipment rose by around 300% during the covid pandemic, but reusable PPE is safe, saves costs, and is a sustainable alternative to single use PPE, they conclude.…”
Purpose of review
Major outbreaks of infectious diseases, including epidemics and pandemics, are increasing in scope and frequency, threatening public health and straining the capacity of health systems worldwide. High-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs), including highly pathogenic respiratory viruses and viral hemorrhagic fevers, are both contagious and virulent, and these pathogens thus are topics of special concern for pandemic planning.
Recent findings
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how a major disease outbreak can negatively impact all aspects of hospital functioning. Identification of patients with HCIDs needs careful clinical evaluation and coordination with public health authorities. Staff safety and patient care require appropriate infection prevention precautions, including personal protective equipment. Surges of ill patients may lead to significant strain, with increased ICU patient mortality. Strategies to reduce the impact of surge appear to reduce mortality, such as tiered staffing models and load-leveling across health systems.
Summary
Pandemics and HCIDs are a significant threat to global health, and ICUs play a major role in the care of affected patients. Critical care professionals must work to ensure that our hospitals are prepared to identify and care for these patients in advance of the next emergency.
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