Safety precautions: how to put on and take off your mask and gloves
'24.10.2020'
Source: Obozrevatel
COVID-19 is entering a new round in many countries, and the right protection is even more urgent than at the beginning of the pandemic. The Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine gave advice on how to properly wear, remove and dispose of a medical mask and gloves, writes Obozrevatel.
For example, the organization stressed that the misuse of these protections reduces their effectiveness. The corresponding recommendations were published on the institution's Facebook page.
According to the message, the mask, in addition to reducing the release of pathogens from the respiratory tract, also prevents unnecessary touching with hands to the face, thus reducing the risk of infection.
How to properly don and wear a mask:
- throw the elastic bands over the ears, straighten the mask so that it covers the nose and mouth, press in the place of the nasal plate;
- the mask should be changed as soon as it becomes wet;
- the mask should be changed every four hours;
- do not touch the outer part of the mask with your hands. If touched, wash your hands with soap and water or treat with an alcohol-based antiseptic;
- you cannot reuse the mask;
- you can not use gauze masks, they do not provide the proper level of protection.
How to remove the mask:
- do not touch its outer surface;
- remove the mask from the elastic bands;
- roll up and discard in a closed waste container.
Use gloves if:
- direct contact with blood or other body fluids, mucous membranes and potentially infectious materials is assumed;
- there is direct contact with patients who are infected with pathogens transmitted by contact;
- work with potentially contaminated equipment and surfaces that are used in patient care.
Gloves are worn last of all personal protective equipment.
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How to take off gloves:
- hook the glove at palm level with your other gloved hand and carefully remove;
- hold the removed glove with the other gloved hand;
- Slip the fingers of your bare hand on your wrist under the remaining glove and remove it by wrapping it over the first glove. For example, as shown in the video:
In addition, the Ministry of Health recalled that it is forbidden to wash or treat gloves with disinfectants in order to reuse: microorganisms cannot be completely removed from their surface, and the integrity of the product structure is also lost.
