LONDON: Women healthcare workers and medical staff with Asian heritage are less likely to be using face masks that fit them properly, making them more vulnerable to infection, according to a report on Tuesday calling for more robust equipment testing.
"Satisfactory airborne protection will only be provided if the filtering facepiece respirators are properly fitted to the individual's face, providing a tight facial seal," said co-author Prof Britta von Ungern-Sternberg, from the University of Western Australia."Airborne protection is decreased in the presence of a leak as unfiltered air will be drawn inside the mask."
They also looked at other research that showed higher initial fit-pass rates in Caucasians compared with Asians and said particularly low initial fit-pass rates were reported in Asian women, with a reported average of just 60 per cent.In the US the report said authorities use a fit-test panel to assess the suitability of the N95 masks provided to healthcare workers.
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Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »