The Utilization of Protective Face Masks among Polish Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic: Do We Pass the Exam?

Radomir Reszke,Marta Szepietowska,Rafał Białynicki-Birula,Piotr K Krajewski,Łukasz Matusiak,Jacek C Szepietowski

doi:10.3390/ijerph18020841

Radomir Reszke, Marta Szepietowska + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020841

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Abstract

Relevant personal protective measures during the COVID-19 pandemic include face masks, possibly decreasing the risk of infection among the general population and healthcare workers (HCW) if utilized properly. The aim of the study was to assess whether different Polish HCW utilize face masks according to the 2020 World Health Organization guidance (WHO) criteria. This cross-sectional study included 1156 respondents who participated in an internet survey evaluating mask-related behaviors. All the WHO criteria were complied with by 1.4% of participants, regardless of medical profession, specialty or place of employment. HCW mostly adhered to criterion 1 (C1; strict covering of the face and mouth with the mask; 90.8%), C4 (washing/disinfecting the hands after touching/taking off the mask; 49%) and C3 (taking off the mask properly without touching the anterior surface; 43.4%), whereas C2 (avoidance of touching the mask with hands) was complied with least commonly (6.8%). HCW with mask-induced itch (31.6%) complied to C2 less often (odds ratio 0.53; p = 0.01). The study reveals that Polish HCW rarely adhere to all the 2020 WHO guidance criteria on the use of masks, whereas the adherence to particular criteria is variable and may be associated with the presence of skin-related conditions and other factors. Better compliance with the recommendations in the future is necessary to increase personal safety of HCW and prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Highlights

Published: 19 January 2021The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic put to the test healthcare systems on all continents.As of 21 December 2020, there were over 75 million cases confirmed worldwide since the beginning of the pandemic [1], with 1.2 million in Poland
With the continuous and increasing demand for the vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 to be made available to the public [3], it seems that strict adherence to recommendations concerning personal protective measures is still of crucial importance
The survey included 7 questions based on the World Health Organization WHO guidance on the correct use of face masks as reported by Machida et al [18] (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Published: 19 January 2021The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic put to the test healthcare systems on all continents.As of 21 December 2020, there were over 75 million cases confirmed worldwide since the beginning of the pandemic [1], with 1.2 million in Poland. The official and obligatory safety regulations introduced by the Polish government necessitate social distancing (1.5 m between individuals) and covering of the mouth and nose in public spaces [2]. The latter includes streets, public transport, shopping facilities, workplaces and medical settings, to name just a few. Owing to the primarily airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 [4], masks and respirators are considered as relevant prophylactic factors against the spread of COVID19 between humans, along with compliance with hand hygiene, physical distancing and other infection and control measures, as emphasized by the World Health Organization

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