Prolonged use of surgical masks and respirators affects the protection and comfort for healthcare workers

Source avec lien : Materials, 15(22). 10.3390/ma15227918

Cette étude a exploré la période idéale pour le port de masques afin de prévenir les problèmes physiologiques et psychologiques associés à l’utilisation à long terme de masques lors d’infections respiratoires par des travailleurs de la santé.

This study explored the ideal period for wearing masks to prevent the physiological and psychological problems associated with long-term face mask use during respiratory infections by healthcare workers. Breathing simulators, surgical masks (SM) and medical respirators (PM) were prepared for two to eight hours. Changes in the comfort of masks (facial skin temperature, breathing resistance, and moisture permeability) and protection (filtration efficiency, resistance to blood penetration, and colony count) were assessed. The results demonstrated that the masks offered efficient liquid-particle filtering even after eight hours of use. However, the number of bacterial colonies using PM and SM grew significantly after two and four hours, respectively. Concerning comfort, the inspiratory resistance of masks rose dramatically after two hours, whereas the moisture permeability declined considerably after four hours. In addition, skin temperature had a significant increase within two hours, which may result in facial discomfort. When conditions permitted, the hospital staff was instructed to replace their masks every two hours.

Lisez l’article

Laisser un commentaire