March 10, 2021
You may look forward to throwing away your masks and other personal protective equipment after COVID-19 is no longer a threat, but you may want to pause and reconsider that decision, according to reporting by Medical Device Network.
Analysis of poll results, based on 321 responses received from the readers of Hospital Management, a Verdict network site, between Jan. 18 and March 2, shows that healthcare providers should continue to use PPE at the same frequency as now in all healthcare settings, as voted by 59 percent of the respondents.
The frequency of PPE usage should remain the same post-COVID, but only in the busiest parts of hospitals such as emergency departments, as opined by 17 percent of the respondents. According to 8 percent of the respondents, PPE should be used at the same frequency as during COVID, but only in certain seasons such as flu season.
Further, 10 percent of the respondents voted that PPE should be used less frequently after COVID, while 6 percent of the respondents opined that PPE should be used by healthcare providers under other conditions after the pandemic.
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“PPE usage is expected to continue post-pandemic with expenditure on PPE projected to triple by 2027, according to the Health Industry Distributors Association,” Medical Device Network reports. “Researchers are, therefore, working towards making PPE equipment more effective, biodegradable and sustainable. Researchers from the University of Alberta are, for example, developing a fabric treatment for medical gowns and masks that can kill viruses and bacteria upon contact.”
