SARS experiences about masks wearing

Toronto nurse’s experience:

Today the protocol of strict isolation is set. I have to don the now requisite gowns, gloves, HEPA masks and goggles. I negotiate the note writing, medication mixing and a multitude of other tasks with my dexterity impaired by gloves. Nothing however compares to the mask. A pounding headache, lethargy and disorientation appear a short time into each shift and last through the remaining long hours

From start to finish of every shift, all these precautions -- including the masks -- have to stay on at all times or our infection control barrier would be broken. I can't lift my mask to inhale a breath of fresh air, grab a sip of water, or even wipe sweat out of my eyes. A nurse in our staff did become infected because she relaxed her precautions and removed her mask. She has recovered since, hopefully.

Our protective clothing requirement is later increased to two layers: I become over-heated under all the layers, dizzy and light headed from the lack of air, the sweat begins to trickle down my face, my goggles fog over and my thick face mask sticks to my skin. We are all drowning in sweat under the double gowns, double gloves, goggles and double masks. We are finding doing even the standard procedures harder through double gloves and fogged-up goggles.

A medic was known to run a marathon or two. He's now finding running up two flights of stairs exhausting. It isn't the climb, it's the gowns, gloves and masks that make it a sweltering run. By the time he gets to patients he's often out of breath, straining for air through the mask.

I'm glad I'm not yet nursing, tells another nurse. So I don't have to wear the mask all the time. The mask created another problem for me - I turned out to be allergic to the safety shield !

Later some staffs moved to Stryker suits (hoods with N100 filters) to ensure they're protected from the virus. The Stryker suit is cumbersome and hot. It really did make it harder to work. The visibility isn't quite as good. It is hard to hear what other people are saying. Everything's kind of muffled under that hood. Still, that is the reality SARS teams are going to have to get used to.

Each patient has an isolation room, with no curtain or object that isn't deemed vital. Only hard surfaces, which can be easily wiped, are allowed. Inside and outside every room is a disposal system for gowns, garbage, etc. The unit entryway is a safe space for the staff between double sets of doors at the nursing station. After the second set of doors, we start preparing: putting on double gown, double gloves. We're already wearing our masks. Before entering the wing, we put on a yellow gown. Patient's doors are firmly closed at all times. A knock on the door signals the patient to put on a mask so the nurse can enter.

Because we should have alarmed the public by going out in masks, the hospital let our staff take taxis to and from work, but we even had to wear our masks in the cab! At home we have changed our lifestyle to vigilantly avoid contamination. We're living separate lives, having as little contact as possible, and being careful. When facing my family, I wear the mask …

Staff education is an important point. "You not only have to train people how to go into this protective gear but how to come safely out of it," says an infection control nurse. "So it's training, training, training."

About masks and SARS experience.

During SARS highest prevalence, employees in public area of airport (Paris) as the hostesses in reservation desks, welcome and information desks, were fitted with 3M 1873V valved healthcare respirators. Some Eastern companies provided their attendants on plane with respirators too. Travellers from East Asia had to wear surgical masks or respirators.

On a local TV report, the Airport employees and a lady who has travelled about 9 + hours on the plane told how it was being fitted with such masks …

Think that in most countries, if the big pandemic occurs, people will be compelled to stay at their job to let the things running on. I have read an official planning text (government site - last week) which specifies who will be on; if we lack of medical staffs, nurses students and medicine students will replace the ill or quarantined workers, as instance. All will have to wear the masks.

Not as plain, depends on your activity outside, if you have a suspect or sick or immune depressed memeber at home - and the virulence of the strain !

out yes in crowded places and at job.

at home if you are in close contact with sick people (medics see previous post)

at home if you are nursing a sick member ...

goggles are a must be are uncomfy (foggy) and prompt  to make leakages ...A full face or hood is better if high risk.

gloves yes but with a right hygiene handwashing, ....