5 Infection Control Tips For Doctors To Safeguard Themselves From Covid-19 Infection - Dr Vaishali Solao
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Doctors fall in the high-risk category and can acquire the COVID-19 infection due to the nature of their interactions with symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Doctors, nurses, and allied healthcare staff have been a major resource in fighting the pandemic, with their selfless and relentless efforts. As we have seen over the last three years, some have paid a very heavy price while carrying out their duties, sadly. We as major torchbearers of healthcare need to take care of ourselves first, so that we can give the necessary services to those in need.
These are five simple tips for clinicians that can help save themselves from COVID-19 infection:
- During the phase of rising infection, consider every patient and accompanying person as potentially infective. No matter what the complaints of the patients, they can be positive and so can their family members and hence a potential source of infection
- Wear an N95 mask: CDC recommends all doctors and healthcare personnel wear N95 when taking care of potential positive or proven positive patients. The mask should be well-fitted and NIOSH certified. One mask should not be used for more than a shift/ day as it gets saturated and loses efficacy. Double masking is not recommended over N95. If the mask is used for a short duration in a day, it can be reused for 2-3 days. Store the mask in a dry paper bag in between use and do not touch the outer surface of the mask. Do not use a mask with exhalation valves. If you do not have N95 on a particular day, use a well-fitting surgical mask with another layer of cloth mask on top. But remember, N95 offers the highest protection and is recommended for all doctors coming in contact with positive or suspected patients
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