Masking up against COVID-19 controls source, protects receiver

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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Masking up against COVID-19 controls source, protects receiver

3 August 2022

David McBride

Wednesday 3 August 2022, 12:20 AM

In a crowded, unventilated bus, a high proportion of the breaths you take is likely to be air other passengers have exhaled [Image: Manki Kim on Unsplash]

Occupational health expert David McBride outlines the role of masks and their make-up as one element of COVID-19 risk management in the context of the ‘hierarchy of control’ system, where PPE is considered the least level of protection

Key points, The “hierarchy of control” system – in a sequence of source, path and receiver – evaluates protection against a discovered potential hazard. An infe, Pract Green w Pale Yellow

Occupational Health

Respiratory Health

COVID-19

References

Hancock F. Whose breath are you breathing? RNZ News. 11 July 2022. www.rnz.co.nz
Walls C, Emrys G, Gavaghan S, et al. A model respiratory personal protective programme for the New Zealand healthcare industry. N Z Med J 2020;133(1522):161–66.
Wang Y, Deng Z, Shi D. How effective is a mask in preventing COVID-19 infection? Med Devices Sens 2021;4:e10163.
Konda A, Prakash A, Moss GA, et al. Aerosol filtration efficiency of common fabrics used in respiratory cloth masks. ACS Nano 2020;14:6339–47.
Padula WV, Cuddigan J, Ruotsi L, et al. Best-practices for preventing skin injury beneath personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A position paper from the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel. J Clin Nurs 2021;00:1–8.

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