The Necessity of Prohibiting the Masks With Exhalation Valve During Emerging Infections Like COVID-19

Background: Knowledge of occupational health is crucial to the safety of healthcare workers in the pandemic period. The aim of our study was the rating of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in connection with selected demographic, social, and organizational factors, as well as the identification of key elements determining the safety of HCWs and patients of the University Hospital in Krakow. Methods: This was a non-interventional, uncontrolled, open, single-center, cross-sectional online survey on the preparedness for the COVID-19 epidemic and the seroprevalence of medical and non-medical HCWs and students. Serum specimens from 1221 persons were tested using an immunoassay analyzer based on the ECLIA technique for the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies IgM + IgG. Results: The total seroprevalence was 42.7%. In medical students it was 25.2%, while in physicians it was 43.4% and in nurses/midwives it was 48.1%. Of those who tested positive, 21.5% did not know their serological status. The use of personal protective equipment did not have any significant impact on the result of testing for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The risk of developing the disease was not influenced by sex, professional work experience, workplace, or intensity of contact with the patient. Among the studied elements, only care of COVID-19 patients significantly increased the risk. The protective factor was starting work between the waves of the epidemic (June–September 2020). Conclusions: PPE is only one element of infection prevention and control—without other components, such as hand hygiene, it can be dangerous and contribute to self-infection. It is also very important to test healthcare workers. Not being aware of the COVID-19 status of HCWs poses a threat to other staff members, as well as patients and the family and friends of the infected. Thus, extreme caution should be applied when employing respirators with exhalation valves during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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“…Facepiece filtering respirators with exhalation valves should also not be used in the community, so as to limit SARS-CoV-2 diffusion [ 26 , 27 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies among HealthCare Workers in University Hospital in Krakow before the Era of Vaccination

Żółtowska

Barańska

Jachowicz

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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“…The wearing of fitted masks was advocated by public health authorities to a) partially protect the wearer from inhaling ambient air that may contain a virus load and b) from preventing the wearer, if infected with SARS-Cov-2, from freely shedding the virus. While masks with exhalation valves (which made breathing easier), had the same level of protection for the wearer, they were declared unsuitable for many health settings, as the valves either had no filter, of the filtering of the exhaled air was insufficient [82][83][84][85] In the Australian setting, the first few months of the pandemic saw a general shortage of medical quality protective equipment (PPE), in particular face masks, as well as a shortage of hand sanitizer. In part this was caused by panic buying and associated hoarding [86], which also extended to other goods, such as household pantry staples and toilet paper [18].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Memories of COVID-19: The Types of Fitted Face Masks Between Public Health Advice and Personal Choice

Spennemann¹

2023

Preprint

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As the COVID-19 pandemic begins to abate and national public health systems are treating the SARS-Cov-2 virus as endemic, many public health measures are no longer mandated, but remain recommended with voluntary participation. One of these is the wearing of fitted face masks, initially mandated to contain, or at least slow, the spread of SARS-CoV-2 which is primarily transmitted via aerosols emitted while breathing, coughing, or sneezing. While the habit of once wearing fitted face masks recedes into memory for much of the population, so does the knowledge of the various types of masks that were once en vogue. To create a record for the future, this paper provides the first comprehensive documentation of the nature and range of fitted facemasks that circulated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

show abstract

“…The wearing of fitted masks was advocated by public health authorities to (a) partially protect the wearer from inhaling ambient air that may contain a virus load and (b) prevent the wearer, if infected with SARS-CoV-2, from freely shedding the virus. Although masks with exhalation valves (which made breathing easier) had the same level of protection for the user, they were declared unsuitable for many health settings, as the valves either had no filter or the filtering of the exhaled air was insufficient [69][70][71][72].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Documenting COVID-19 for Posterity: A Review of the Types of Fitted Face Masks Worn in Albury (Australia)

Spennemann

2023

Hygiene

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As the COVID-19 pandemic begins to abate and national public health systems are treating the SARS-CoV-2 virus as endemic, many public health measures are no longer mandated but remain recommended with voluntary participation. One of these is the wearing of fitted face masks, initially mandated to contain, or at least slow, the spread of SARS-CoV-2, which is primarily transmitted via aerosols emitted while breathing, coughing, or sneezing. Although the habit of once wearing fitted face masks recedes into memory for much of the population, so does the knowledge of the various types of masks that were once en vogue. To create a record for the future, this paper provides the first comprehensive documentation of the nature and range of fitted facemasks that circulated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

show abstract

The Necessity of Prohibiting the Masks With Exhalation Valve During Emerging Infections Like COVID-19

Cited by 4 publications

References 6 publications

The Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies among HealthCare Workers in University Hospital in Krakow before the Era of Vaccination

The Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies among HealthCare Workers in University Hospital in Krakow before the Era of Vaccination

Memories of COVID-19: The Types of Fitted Face Masks Between Public Health Advice and Personal Choice

Documenting COVID-19 for Posterity: A Review of the Types of Fitted Face Masks Worn in Albury (Australia)

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