What is Personal Protective Equipment (And Why Is It Important)?

As the coronavirus spreads, the number of people vulnerable to infection also increases. 

Consequently, there is greater need for protection against transmission. While social distancing measures are effective at curtailing the spread of the virus, they are not the only measures in place. People have also begun to buy personal protective equipment. 

In fact, demand has spiked to the point that the CDC has encouraged people to use cloth masks in place of N95 masks. These masks are more urgently needed by healthcare workers.

What is PPE?

Personal protective equipment refers to a set of wearable objects designed to protect the wearer from injuries and infections. Essentially, anything that prevents the transfer of infectious material between people falls under personal protective equipment. This equipment is almost always found in hospitals or other healthcare facilities. It includes things like face masks, gloves, and goggles.

The Role of PPE in Disease Prevention

The main function of personal protective equipment is to prevent the transmission of any illness. Illnesses spread when some kind of contaminated material comes into contact with your eyes, nose, mouth, or skin. 

Masks, for example, prevent droplets from contacting your mouth or nose. Droplets are liquid particles that carry some infectious material, like viruses or bacteria. They are produced by coughing, sneezing, etc. If you have a respirator, such as an N95 mask, then aerosols are also filtered out from the air you breathe. Aerosols are small, air-borne particles that can carry infectious material. They are produced by speaking, breathing, etc.

This equipment is primarily needed by healthcare workers and patients. When operating on or working with a patient, a healthcare worker risks contracting the illness of their patient. Alternatively, patients are often weakened and susceptible to other illnesses while sick. To ensure that the patient’s illnesses do not compound, they are also equipped with this equipment.

Once the equipment is used, its properly disposed. However, there are exceptions to this. Some N95 masks, for example, are disinfected and reused, due to shortages at the moment.

Is it Enough?

While personal protective equipment is a necessary part of disease prevention, it often isn’t enough on its own. All hospitals have other practices that complement this equipment to ensure disease prevention. Hand sanitizers, for example, are liberally used to ensure healthcare workers remain clean. People are required to maintain cough etiquette by covering their mouth or nose when coughing or sneezing, respectively. 

There are other infection control measures used to curtail the spread of any illness. These require the use of personal protective equipment, hand sanitizers, and other disease-prevention products. With the spread of the coronavirus, people should also begin adopting these measures. If you’re missing any disease-prevention product, don’t go out to buy them. Crowded stores are risky. Instead, buy them online, whether for yourself or in bulk, from Safety 1^st PPE. They can serve your protective needs while maintaining social distancing norms. Visit them for a safer shopping experience.