Rational use of personal protective equipment for COVID-19 and considerations during severe shortages

The document provides guidelines on the rational use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for COVID-19, especially during severe shortages. This fourth edition includes updated strategies for optimizing PPE use by health workers treating patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. It introduces new options for gloves and respirators, advises against PPE reuse without decontamination, and updates sections on PPE recommendations based on transmission scenarios and PPE decontamination considerations.

Key recommendations include:

Applying contact and droplet precautions for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Airborne precautions are advised during aerosol-generating procedures. Avoiding PPE reuse without decontamination, unnecessary glove use, wearing a medical mask over a respirator, and using non-medical masks as alternatives to medical ones. During PPE shortages, the document suggests:

Optimizing PPE use through care planning, using PPE based on transmission risk, and expanding PPE availability by evaluating items against international standards. Considering temporary measures during severe shortages, such as extended PPE use, reprocessing PPE, and using alternative PPE items.

The guidance emphasizes training health workers in infection prevention, risk assessment, and proper PPE usage. It also underscores the importance of hand hygiene, storage of clean PPE, and regular environmental cleaning. The document serves as a comprehensive guide for health authorities and organizations making decisions regarding PPE use and prioritization for health workers.