Health Ministry issues guidelines for rational use of PPE kits

New Delhi [India], May 1 : Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Friday issued additional guidelines on the rational use of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits for healthcare workers and others working in a non-COVID hospital and non-COVID treatment areas of a hospital, which has a COVID block.
The guidelines described what type of PPE kit should be used in different departments of the hospitals.
PPE kits include equipment that protects an individual from health risks. It includes head covers, fluid-resistant surgical or N95 masks, disposable gloves, long-sleeved fluid-repellent gowns or aprons, eye goggles, face shields, and boots or closed shoes.
1. Out-Patient Department
Help desk/registration counter, doctor chamber, pharmacy counter, sanitary staff should use the triple-layer medical mask, latex examination gloves.
Dental, ENT, and ophthalmology doctors are advised to use N-95 masks, goggles, latex examination gloves and face shield.
Pre-aesthetic check-up clinic should use N-95 masks, goggles, latex examination gloves.
MoHFW has said that all hospitals should identify a separate triage and holding area for patients with influenza-like illness so that suspected COVID-19 cases are triaged and managed away from the main out-patient department.
2. In-patient departments (non-COVID hospitals and non-COVID treatment areas of a hospital, which has a COVID block)
Ward, individual rooms, ICU, critical care (non-COVID) are advised to use the triple-layer medical mask, latex examination gloves.
ICU and critical care should use N-95 masks, goggles, Nitrile examination gloves and face shield.
Labour room staff should use the triple-layer medical mask, face shield, sterile latex gloves, N-95 mask if the pregnant woman is a resident of the containment zone.
Operation theatre team should use the triple-layer medical mask, face shield, sterile latex gloves, goggle, N-95 mask if the person being operated is a resident of the containment zone.
3. Emergency Department (Non-COVID)
Those attending emergency cases are advised to use the triple-layer medical mask and latex examination gloves.
Those attending to severely ill patients while performing the aerosol-generating procedure should use the full complement of PPE kits (N-95 mask, overall, goggle, Nitrile examination gloves, shoe cover).
4.Other supportive/ancillary services
Those engaged in routine laboratory-sample collection and transportation and testing of routine (non-respiratory) samples should use the triple-layer medical mask, latex examination gloves.
Routine laboratory-respiratory samples are advised to use N-95 mask and latex examination gloves.
Radio diagnosis blood bank, CSSD/laundry should use the triple-layer medical mask and latex examination gloves. Other supportive services including the kitchen are advised to use face cover and gloves.
5. Pre-hospital (Ambulance) Services
Ambulance transfer to the designated hospital -- Transporting patients on any assisted ventilation should use the triple-layer medical mask and latex examination gloves
Ambulance transfer to the designated hospital -- Management of SARI patients are instructed to use the full complement of PPE kit (N-95 mask, coverall, goggle, Nitrile examination gloves, shoe cover)
Ambulance transfer to the designated hospital -- Driver of the ambulance should use the triple-layer medical mask and latex examination gloves.
MoHFW has said that standard precautions have to be followed at all times. Patients and their attendants have also been encouraged to put on the face cover.