Introduction:
COVID-19 has hit the world very hard. With the positivity rate for coronavirus being very high, more and more people are trying to protect themselves from the deadly virus. This is a worldwide crisis and everyone is troubled because of it.
In this era with pandemic outbreaks, PPE kit is nothing less than a blessing. PPE is worn to limit exposure to risks that can cause injuries or any illness in the working environment. These may result from contact with synthetic, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other work environment risks. Individual defensive hardware may incorporate gloves, security glasses and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard caps, respirators, coveralls, vests, and full bodysuits.
History of PPE:
PPE kits are the massive creation of humans that can be used in any sector or any field. The 1st PPE to be invented in the sixteenth century is the respirator used on a large scale during chemical warfare during World War 1. Leonardo Da Vinci first created it to protect the wearer from different kinds of harmful foreign substances.
What is PPE?
PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment. While the term has now, to a great extent, become related to COVID-19, it refers to the protection used to decrease exposure to harmful and dangerous components. Various kinds of PPE products are utilized in different callings, for example, lab examination and development.
There is respiratory defensive gear, for example, face covers and respirators, to prevent substances like asbestos and dust or from microorganisms, pathogenic microbes, and infections from our body are generally considered PPE kits. Defensive gear can likewise reach out to defensive eyewear that can shield the eyes from substance sprinkles or essential items, similar to clean particles. Ear Plugs again qualify as PPE, as do latex gloves, utilized in the logical and clinical industry to give patients a sterile environment or hold microorganisms back from spreading means of the hands.
Types of PPE:
- Eyes & Face:
Eye protection is achieved by wearing eyewear including general safety glasses, laser safety glasses, chemical splash goggles, and impact goggles specifically designed to reduce the risk of exposure to chemical splashes, laser radiation, and flying debris. Complete face protection can be attained by wearing face shields.
- Respiratory and Mouth:
Surgical masks, N-95 respirators, Half-mask respirators, Full-face respirators can be used to protect respiratory organs. These can be used to prevent your body from taking in different micro-objects from the environment such as dust particles, microbes, fumes, mists, etc.
- Skin:
Polyester or Normex suits are generally used to cover the whole body from microbes and infections.
How to put on a PPE?
- Hands should be properly sanitized and sterilized with an alcohol-based hand rub before putting on the PPE Kit as it removes the microbes before present.
- To ensure safe wearing first, the gloves should be put on.
- Slowly hands should be inserted inside the gown, ensuring that the cuff of each inner glove remains under the sleeve.
- Then the respirators and masks should be worn.
- Lastly, the boot coverings to put on.
How to discard PPE Kits?
Disposal of PPE is again a test. PPE Kits must be discarded in yellow, non-chlorinated plastic packs and be marked as infectious waste. The rules say the utilization of twofold layered sacks for guaranteeing watertight assortment and transportation. These packs or holders ought to be sufficiently named as COVID-19 waste.
Can PPE kits be reused?
The gowns can’t be reused as after the work, the surface of the gowns may contain various infectious agents and microbes, which can be harmful to both the worker and the people surrounding them. So the dresses should be appropriately discarded according to the guidelines. However, the masks, face shields, goggles, and different protection equipment can be sterilized and reused. N95 masks can be fixed by ethanol or alcohol as they possess the properties of killing harmful microbes. It can also be washed with an antimicrobial detergent.
Summing up
PPE is essential for ordinary medical services and frontline workers such as doctors and nurses to prevent infections or contaminations among patients and staff. Covering a more significant amount of the body and proper use of masks and respirators will give better protection. The use of a local mask could even be advantageous in COVID 19. We must be prepared with all accessible alternatives to defeat this problematic situation of expanded interest for PPE, prompting the unexpected intense deficiency by embracing new ways and developments to battle this unexpected COVID Pandemic.
