WHO Advised to Swap Surgical Face Masks with Respirators Amid 'Inadequate' Protection Concerns
A group of experts has urged the World Health Organization (WHO) to revise its guidelines recommending surgical face masks for healthcare professionals, citing their inadequate protection against airborne pathogens. The experts argue that standard respirator-level masks should be worn every time doctors and nurses interact with patients, providing a higher level of protection.
The proposal comes at a time when the global healthcare system is facing criticism over the use of surgical masks during the Covid-19 pandemic. Estimates suggest that over 129 billion disposable face masks were used worldwide each month during the height of the pandemic, with surgical masks being the most widely available and recommended by health authorities.
Respirators designed to filter tiny particles, such as those meeting FFP2/3 standards in the UK or N95 in the US, should be standard practice for medical interactions, the experts argue. This would significantly reduce the risk of infections in patients and healthcare workers, resulting in fewer hospitalizations, sickness, absence, and burnout among health professionals.
Surgical masks, on the other hand, are not designed to stop airborne pathogens but rather to prevent doctors and nurses from sneezing into patients' faces. As one expert put it, surgical masks are "obsolete" compared to respirators, just like the typewriter was to the modern computer.
Critics argue that a lack of randomized controlled trials showing physical measures slow the spread of respiratory viruses is a flawed argument. However, experts counter that laboratory tests demonstrating respirators' effectiveness provide sufficient evidence for their use in healthcare settings.
The WHO's Infection Prevention and Control guidelines are currently under review, with the organization consulting extensively with health experts to ensure protection for health workers. The proposed changes have sparked controversy, particularly regarding the cultural war surrounding face mask mandates during the pandemic.
If implemented, these recommendations would require significant changes to global protocols and could have a profound impact on reducing infections in healthcare settings.
A group of experts has urged the World Health Organization (WHO) to revise its guidelines recommending surgical face masks for healthcare professionals, citing their inadequate protection against airborne pathogens. The experts argue that standard respirator-level masks should be worn every time doctors and nurses interact with patients, providing a higher level of protection.
The proposal comes at a time when the global healthcare system is facing criticism over the use of surgical masks during the Covid-19 pandemic. Estimates suggest that over 129 billion disposable face masks were used worldwide each month during the height of the pandemic, with surgical masks being the most widely available and recommended by health authorities.
Respirators designed to filter tiny particles, such as those meeting FFP2/3 standards in the UK or N95 in the US, should be standard practice for medical interactions, the experts argue. This would significantly reduce the risk of infections in patients and healthcare workers, resulting in fewer hospitalizations, sickness, absence, and burnout among health professionals.
Surgical masks, on the other hand, are not designed to stop airborne pathogens but rather to prevent doctors and nurses from sneezing into patients' faces. As one expert put it, surgical masks are "obsolete" compared to respirators, just like the typewriter was to the modern computer.
Critics argue that a lack of randomized controlled trials showing physical measures slow the spread of respiratory viruses is a flawed argument. However, experts counter that laboratory tests demonstrating respirators' effectiveness provide sufficient evidence for their use in healthcare settings.
The WHO's Infection Prevention and Control guidelines are currently under review, with the organization consulting extensively with health experts to ensure protection for health workers. The proposed changes have sparked controversy, particularly regarding the cultural war surrounding face mask mandates during the pandemic.
If implemented, these recommendations would require significant changes to global protocols and could have a profound impact on reducing infections in healthcare settings.