An Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) panel has published updated recommendations for using personal protective equipment (PPE) to safeguard healthcare workers from COVID-19, the organization announced this week.

The new guidelines are accessible as a pdf in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases,  and are summarized here: 

In conventional settings when caring for patients with suspected or known COVID-19, the IDSA guideline panel recommends:

  • That healthcare workers use either a medical/surgical mask or N95 (or N99 or PAPR) respirator compared with no mask as part of appropriate PPE;
  • That healthcare workers use eye protection compared with no eye protection as part of appropriate PPE;
  • That healthcare personnel involved with aerosol-generating procedures on suspected or known COVID-19 patients use an N95 (or N99 or PAPR) respirator instead of a medical/surgical mask, as part of appropriate PPE (placing a high value on avoiding serious harms to exposed workers).

For conventional, contingency or crisis capacity settings, the panel:

  • Makes no recommendation for the use of double gloves versus single gloves for healthcare PPE, due to knowledge gaps; 
  • Makes no recommendation for the use of shoe covers versus no shoe covers for healthcare personnel caring for patients with suspected or known COVID-19 as part of appropriate PPE;
  • Recommends that healthcare personnel involved with aerosol-generating procedures on suspected or known COVID-19 patients use a reprocessed N95 respirator for reuse instead of medical/surgical masks as part of appropriate PPE.

In addition, as contingency or crisis management during respirator shortages, the IDSA guideline panel recommends that healthcare personnel involved with aerosol-generating procedures on suspected or known COVID-19 patients add a face shield or medical/surgical mask as a cover for the N95 respirator. The goal is to allow extended use — or reuse — of the respirator as part of appropriate PPE. 

Vaccination also plays a critical role in protecting healthcare personnel from SARS-CoV-2, the authors added. 

“The data supporting [COVID-19 vaccines’] efficacy, effectiveness and safety are robust. Universal and required vaccination of [healthcare workers] provides the most important level of protection, and when combined with appropriate PPE and other interventions, creates the safest possible environment for [healthcare workers] providing care for patients with COVID-19.”

The detailed guidance is downloadable here as a pdf.