supply of N95 filtering facepiece respirators and prioritizing
their use
● Perform initial fit tests for each HCP with the same
model, style, and size respirator that the worker will be
required to wear for protection against COVID-19 (initial
fit testing is essential to determine if the respirator properly
fits the worker and is capable of providing the expected
level of protection);
● Inform workers that the employer is temporarily
suspending the annual fit testing of N95 filtering facepiece
respirators to preserve and prioritize the supply of respirators
for use in situations where they are required to be worn
● Explain to workers the importance of performing a
user seal check (i.e., a fit-check) at each donning to make
sure they are getting an adequate seal from their respirator
● Conduct a fit-test if they observe visual changes in the
employee’s physical condition that could affect respirator fit
(e.g., facial scarring, dental changes, cosmetic surgery, or
obvious changes in body weight) and explain to workers
that, if their face shape has changed since their last fit test,
they may no longer be getting a good facial seal with the
respirator and, thus, are not being adequately protected
● Remind workers that they should inform their supervisor
or their respirator program administrator if the integrity and/
or fit of their N95 filtering facepiece respirator is compromised
OSHA advices that healthcare personnel visually inspect
the N95 respirator to determine if the structural and
“
When Qualaris created
the COVID Kit, I slept
like a baby because
functional integrity of the respirator has been compromised.
“Over time, components such as the straps, nose bridge,
and nose foam material may degrade, which can affect the
quality of the fit and seal,” OSHA explains. “If the structural
and functional integrity of any part of the respirator is
compromised, or if a successful user seal check cannot be
performed, discard the respirator and try another respirator.”
PPE and Exposure Prevention
A 2020 update to a Cochrane Systematic Review by
Verbeck, et al. (2020) sought to evaluate which type of
full‐body PPE and which method of donning or doffing
PPE, have the least risk of contamination or infection for
healthcare personnel, and which training methods increase
compliance with PPE protocols. Earlier versions of this review
were published in 2016 and 2019; in the 2020 update,
the authors included 24 studies with 2,278 participants,
of which 14 were randomized controlled trials (RCT), one
was a quasi‐RCT and nine had a non‐randomized design.
Eight studies compared types of PPE. Six studies evaluated
adapted PPE. Eight studies compared donning and doffing
processes and three studies evaluated types of training.
Eighteen studies used simulated exposure with fluorescent
markers or harmless microbes. In simulation studies, median
contamination rates were 25 percent for the intervention
and 67 percent for the control groups. The authors note
that evidence for all outcomes was of very low certainty
because it is based on one or two studies, the indirectness
The Qualaris COVID-19 Kit helps
healthcare facilities save lives and
reduce risk by implementing and
adhering to an evolving set of CDC
guidelines.
now we can track and
prove compliance with
Click here to request your free kit
constantly changing
guidelines.
Heather Nicholas
Risk Manager of a Healthcare Facility
Join the 100 health systems that
already trust Qualaris to streamline
infection prevention and quality
improvement. Our COVID-19 Kit is
free through 2020.
https://covid19.qualaris.com/
www.healthcarehygienemagazine.com • may 2020
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