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The world is suffering from a pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19), with a mortality rate of up to 4%.1 COVID-19 infection is seen at disproportionately high levels among healthcare workers.
Current UK guidance regarding the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for COVID-19 was updated in April 2020.2 For close contact (<2 metres), the recommended respiratory protection remains a fluid-resistant surgical face mask. However, for areas at higher risk of aerosols, or during aerosol generating procedures, the use of filtering face piece (FFP) mask is advised. These high-risk settings are defined as resuscitation areas within the emergency department and hospital areas using invasive or non-invasive ventilation. Notably, wards caring for non-ventilated COVID-19 positive patients are excluded, …
Footnotes
Contributors NEB and CJB contributed equally to the letter.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests NEB and CJB will use personal protective equipment (PPE) in line with current Public Health England recommendations.
Patient consent for publication Not required.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.