Face Shields Research Articles

ANALISIS RESIKO BAHAYA LIMBAH B3 MENGGUNAKAN METODE HIRARC PADA INSTALASI PEMBUANGAN AIR LIMBAH

Balai PIALAM, namely the Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) of the PUP-ESDM Office of the DIY Regional Government, is a centralized wastewater treatment plant. The problems that exist in Balai PIALAM are temporary storage of B3 waste does not meet the criteria, leaking storage, excessive capacity, methods that can be used to overcome B3 waste are using the HIRARC method, based on 9 activities of the B3 waste management process. Impact of hazard risk with research results Risk level: Medium 4 hazard effect 6.33%, High2 hazard effect 2.11%, extreme1 hazard effect 1.6%. The stages of making HIRARC are: decomposing the work into steps from the beginning to the end of the process, identifying the source of danger, determining the hazard posed by means of interviews, observations, observations, brainstorming, determining the impact on environmental workers, assessing the likelihood of occurrence is used to determine risk rating. Testing period January 2024, t BOD Input (min 99 mg/L,max 458 mg/L), Output (min 10 mg/L,max 59 mg/L), Average (input 206 mg/L, output 30 mg/L), testing period February 2024, testing t BOD Input (min 84 mg/L, max 288 mg/L), Output (min 12 mg/L, max 43 mg/L), Average (input 154 mg/L, output 24 mg/L). Use of APD such as laboratory coats, masks, special gloves, safety shoes, protective helmets and life vests, face shields. As well as implementing SOP. Control of hazards or risks both in laboratory and operational testing activities using APD: gloves, laboratory coats, safety shoes, protective glasses, masks, life vests, and special vests according to the work done and affirmation of SOP.

Retrospective Video Analysis of Orofacial Injuries during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Introduction: Football Association is the most practiced sport in the world. However, as a contact sport in which athletes are subject to impacts and injuries of different etiologies, the risk of orofacial injuries is high. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the incidence of orofacial injuries during the FIFA World Cup - Qatar 2022™. Materials and Methods: Video analyses were performed of all 64 games of the World Cup, with the determination of the quantity of orofacial injuries that occurred between players as well as the different types and characteristics of these injuries. The data were incorporated into a database and subsequently analyzed with the aid of the SPSS program (version 17.0). Results: At least one orofacial injury occurred in 96.87% of the games. The greatest incidence of orofacial injury was due to impacts. Four athletes used a face shield and only one used a mouthguard. Conclusion: The incidence of orofacial injuries was high among the players who participated in the 2022 World Cup and impact was the most frequent etiology of such injuries.

Dentist's perception and usage of Personal Protective Equipment –A Cross sectional survey

Introduction: Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to protective clothing, helmets, gloves, face shields, goggles, facemasks and/or respirators or other equipment designed to protect the wearer from injury or the spread of infection or illness. The usage of PPE among health care professionals is increased after Covid 19. Dentists poses high risks to infection due to largernumber of droplets generated during dental procedures. The perception and the usage of Personal Protective Equipment among the dentists may not be same. Hence an online cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among the dentists on perception and usage of Personal Protective Equipment. Materials and methods: A cross sectional only survey using 20closed-ended questionnaire was conducted to assess the perception and usage of Personal Protective Equipment among dentists. A total of 388 dentists were included in the survey. The study subjects were classified into 3 groups. Group A-Practitioner alone (in Clinic/Hospital), Group B-Academician (Working in academic institution alone without practice) and Group C- Both (clinician and academician). Results: Most of the dental practitioners who are affiliated to dental colleges as well as having or working in clinician (Group C) had received formal training or demonstration regarding donning and doffing of PPE compared to individual practitioners or academician (Group A and B) and it is statistically significant (P<0.05) and many private practitioner’s faced shortage of PPE compared to academician and both (Private practitioners and academician) which is statistically significant (P<0.05) Conclusion: Compared to Group A and B academician and clinician individually dental professionals who are working as both academician and clinician (Group C) have better perception and know the proper usage of PPE which might be because of the exposure in both college and clinical setup.

Awareness of ocular hazards among welders in Bindura, Zimbabwe

Occupational health issues are the highest among workers in developing nations. This study aimed to assess the awareness of ocular hazards among welders in Bindura. An observational cross-sectional design with a validated structured self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the awareness of ocular hazards among 400 welders. Among the 400 welders, 397(99.3%) were males and their ages ranged from 19 – 56 with a mean age of 36 ± 8 years. Most (35%) of them, 140 had been involved in welding for 6-10 years. The most common type of welding among the participants was arc welding (87.8%). Majority (99.3%) of the welders were aware that welding without the use of protective equipment is a potential source of ocular hazards. Many welders had access to protective face shields and used them all the time (84.5%). The most common condition was ocular foreign bodies (17.7%), followed by Arc eye (4.8%). Awareness about welding as a source of ocular hazard depends on the type of welding used (p < 0.05). The awareness of ocular hazards among welders in Bindura is high. Although, protective devices are provided, regular utilization needs to be encouraged and enforced.

Personalized air curtain optimized to reduce fine particle exposure in industrial environments with different indoor airflow conditions

Recently, personalized air curtains combined with safety helmets have shown great potential in reducing particle inhalation exposure of workers in industrial settings. In this study, the helmet of the basic air curtain (BA) was optimized. One optimization method was to add a mask to the helmet of the basic air curtain (BAF), and the other optimization method was to add a face shield and sealing cloth to the helmet of the basic air curtain (BAFS). Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method was used to compare the protective effect (PE) of the air curtain helmets with BA, BAF, and BAFS configurations. The impacts of the air supply velocity (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 m/s) of the air curtain in a static wind environment, and the direction and speed of the indoor airflow (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1 m/s) on the PE of the helmets were also investigated. Results showed that the BAFS helmet had the best respiratory protection, followed by the BAF and the BA helmet, regardless of indoor airflow conditions. The directional diversion effect of the face shield and the bidirectional blocking effect of the sealing cloth strengthened the PE. In the static indoor airflow environment, air supply velocity and helmet configurations had a remarkable impact on the PE. With the increase of the air supply velocity, the PE of the BA and optimized helmets showed S-shape and C-shape trends. When the air supply velocity reached 0.5 m/s, the PE of the BA, BAF, and BAFS helmets were close to 0.844, 0.985, and 1, respectively. In the uniform indoor airflow environments, the PE of the BAFS helmet was close to 1 and was almost undisturbed by the indoor airflow. This work may help inspire the development of respiratory protective equipment to reduce particulate exposure in industrial settings.

Sound pressure level in the speech signal due to the use of a mask or face shield

Introduction: the use of masks and face shields became widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic, but their impact on vocal health, especially in those who use their voice as a work tool, is not yet fully studied. This study investigates the effect of different types of masks and face shields on the sound pressure level of the voice, with special attention to the risk of developing vocal pathologies.Methods: voice recordings were made of 18 participants (11 women and 7 men) in an audiometric booth, measuring the equivalent continuous sound pressure level (Leq) with a sound level meter. The results obtained with different types of masks (surgical, KN95, with transparent window) and a face shield were compared.Results: no significant differences were found in Leq between the groups with and without protective elements. However, it was observed that women tend to increase the intensity of their voice when wearing masks or face shields, which could lead to greater vocal effort and a potential risk of developing long-term vocal pathologies.Conclusions: Although the use of masks and face shields is necessary in certain contexts, it is important to consider the possible consequences for vocal health, especially in women. The use of non-verbal language is recommended to complement communication and avoid combining KN95 masks with face shields when not strictly necessary.

The Relationship of Attitudes to Compliance with the Use of Personal Protective Equipment in the Construction Project of Hermina Hospital, Madiun City

The construction industry is a dynamic field with potential hazards that can affect project quality and performance. Proper implementation of Occupational Safety and Health (OHS) management is essential in construction projects. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is an important aspect of OHS, but compliance among construction workers is still lacking. This study aims to determine the relationship between attitude and compliance with the use of PPE on the Hermina Hospital construction project in Madiun City. This study was a cross-sectional study, and data were collected using a questionnaire. This study involved 93 construction workers. The results showed that 62% of construction workers in Ethiopia did not use PPE while working, mainly due to lack of availability (41.1%), lack of orientation on the use of PPE (21.3%), discomfort (16.3%), and lack of perceived importance (1.3%). In Indonesia, approximately 60% of workers have experienced head injuries due to not wearing a safety helmet, 90% have experienced facial injuries due to not wearing a face shield, 77% have experienced foot injuries due to not wearing safety shoes, and 66% have experienced eye injuries due to not using eye protection. The low compliance with PPE use among construction workers is a significant concern, as this increases the risk of occupational injuries and accidents. Factors such as availability, training, comfort, and perceived importance of PPE should be addressed to improve compliance. Employers and policy makers need to prioritize the implementation of effective OHS management in construction projects to protect workers' health and safety.

P41. Eye radiation dose comparison between surgical loupes, lead-lined glasses, and plastic face shield

P41. Eye radiation dose comparison between surgical loupes, lead-lined glasses, and plastic face shield

Sustainable polymer reclamation: recycling poly(ethylene terephthalate) glycol (PETG) for 3D printing applications

Due to their versatile properties and wide-ranging applications across various industries, including manufacturing, polymers are indispensable for today’s society. However, polymer-based products significantly impact the environment since many are single-used plastics and require a long time to degrade naturally. A method to attenuate end-of-life polymers’ ill effects is recycling them to bring them again into the production cycle, from grave to cradle. This investigation involves recycling PETG sheets used in face shield production during the COVID-19 outbreak to fabricate 3D printing filaments for FFF. We assessed poly(ethylene terephthalate) glycol (PETG) processability to up to five recycling cycles and obtained filaments with properties adequate for 3D printing. Rheological, thermal, morphological, and mechanical characterization were analyzed to verify the effect of the number of processing cycles on the properties of the polymer. The recycling cycles originated a decrease in viscosity and elasticity, and the gain in molecular mobility resulted, relatively, in solids with a higher degree of crystallinity and prints with more elliptical depositions. The mechanical properties of printed parts fabricated of recycled material were comparable to those from commercial filament, especially after three extrusion cycles. Both extrusion and additive manufacturing processes successfully recycle material into filaments and printed parts, indicating that the proposed methodology is a promising alternative to bring value back to polymers from solid waste.

Design and Additive Manufacturing of Medical Face Shield for Healthcare Workers Battling Coronavirus (COVID-19).

During the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic, the demand for specific medical equipment such as personal protective equipment has rapidly exceeded the available supply around the world. Specifically, simple medical equipment such as medical gloves, aprons, goggles, surgery masks, and medical face shields have become highly in demand in the health-care sector in the face of this rapidly developing pandemic. This difficult period strengthens the social solidarity to an extent parallel to the escalation of this pandemic. Education and government institutions, commercial and noncommercial organizations and individual homemakers have produced specific medical equipment by means of additive manufacturing (AM) technology, which is the fastest way to create a product, providing their support for urgent demands within the health-care services. Medical face shields have become a popular item to produce, and many design variations and prototypes have been forthcoming. Although AM technology can be used to produce several types of noncommercial equipment, this rapid manufacturing approach is limited by its longer production time as compared to conventional serial/mass production and the high demand. However, most of the individual designer/maker-based face shields are designed with little appreciation of clinical needs and nonergonomic. They also lack of professional product design and are not designed according to AM (Design for AM [DfAM]) principles. Consequently, the production time of up to 4 – 5 h for some products of these designs is needed. Therefore, a lighter, more ergonomic, single frame medical face shield without extra components to assemble would be useful, especially for individual designers/makers and noncommercial producers to increase productivity in a shorter timeframe. In this study, a medical face shield that is competitively lighter, relatively more ergonomic, easy to use, and can be assembled without extra components (such as elastic bands, softening materials, and clips) was designed. The face shield was produced by AM with a relatively shorter production time. Subsequently, finite element analysis-based structural design verification was performed, and a three-dimensional (3D) prototype was produced by an original equipment manufacturer 3D printer (Fused Deposition Modeling). This study demonstrated that an original face shield design with <10 g material usage per single frame was produced in under 45 min of fabrication time. This research also provides a useful product DfAM of simple medical equipment such as face shields through advanced engineering design, simulation, and AM applications as an essential approach to battling coronavirus-like viral pandemics.

Effectiveness of respiratory protective equipment in reducing inhalation and contact exposure risks of dental workers during ultrasonic scaling

The high-concentration droplets produced from ultrasonic scaling treatments may carry many pathogens. The close contact between dental workers and patients significantly amplifies their exposure risk to these droplets. Although various types of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) are utilized by dental workers during treatments, their effectiveness in reducing the risks associated with inhalation and contact exposure remains uncertain. In this study, computational fluid dynamics technology was employed to investigate the impact of RPE type, surgery duration, air changes per hour (ACH), and air distribution on the risks related to inhalation and deposition exposure. The results revealed that wearing masks considerably reduced the risk of inhalation exposure for dental workers, with a decrease in inhalation fractions from 25.3 ppm (without RPE) to 1.3–4.5 ppm (with RPE). Combining blue surgical masks and face shields decreased the risk of inhalation fraction by 5% compared to wearing no RPE. Notably, there was over 60% of spray droplets landed on the patient's head; however, only approximately 5%, 6%, 8%, and 3% were deposited on the patient's body, doctor's body, floor, and dental chair, respectively. Increasing ventilation from 3 to 9 ACH decreased dental workers' inhalation fraction by 9.8 ppm. Type III (with the inlet and outlet at opposite walls) decreased the suspension fraction by 4.3% compared with Type II (with the inlet and outlet at the same wall) while achieving a near-zero inhalation fraction of dental workers. These findings offer valuable insights for mitigating cross-infection risks between dental workers and patients in dental clinics.

Visualization and Quantification of Facemask Leakage Flows and Interpersonal Transmission with Varying Face Coverings

Although mask-wearing is now widespread, the knowledge of how to quantify or improve their performance remains surprisingly limited and is largely based on empirical evidence. The objective of this study was to visualize the expiratory airflows from facemasks and evaluate aerosol transmission between two persons. Different visualization methods were explored, including the Schlieren optical system, laser/LED-particle imaging system, thermal camera, and vapor–SarGel system. The leakage flows and escaped aerosols were quantified using a hotwire anemometer and a particle counter, respectively. The results show that mask-wearing reduces the exhaled flow velocity from 2~4 m/s (with no facemask) to around 0.1 m/s, thus decreasing droplet transmission speeds. Cloth, surgical, and KN95 masks showed varying leakage flows at the nose top, sides, and chin. The leakage rate also differed between inhalation and exhalation. The neck gaiter has low filtration efficiency and high leakage fractions, providing low protection efficiency. There was considerable deposition in the mouth–nose area, as well as the neck, chin, and jaw, which heightened the risk of self-inoculation through spontaneous face-touching. A face shield plus surgical mask greatly reduced droplets on the head, neck, and face, indicating that double face coverings can be highly effective when a single mask is insufficient. The vapor–SarGel system provided a practical approach to study interpersonal transmission under varying close contact scenarios or with different face coverings.

THE USE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT BY PHARMACISTS AND RADIOGRAPHERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN KENDAL DISTRICT

In order to control the transmission of covid-19 which entered Indonesia in early 2020, the government implemented health protocol regulations. Apart from health protocols, one of the steps that health workers can implement to control the transmission of covid-19 when providing services during the pandemic is to use personal protective equipment while working. This is the background for the author to study further in research that aims to determine the use of personal protective equipment used by pharmacists and radiographers during the covid-19 pandemic while in service in Kendal District. The research method used was descriptive qualitative by giving questionnaires electronically using google form to research respondents. The research results obtained include, the majority of respondents were female with a percentage of 62%, the health workers who participated as research respondents consisted of 38% pharmacists and 62% radiographers. The use of personal protective equipment used by pharmacists during the covid-19 pandemic includes masks and gloves which are adjusted to the risks of the work activities carried out. The use of personal protective equipment used by radiographers during the covid-19 pandemic includes wearing work clothes according to hospital regulations, surgical isolation gowns, N95 respirators, eye protection, medical gloves, closed shoes, face shields when carrying out medical interventions and tools additional personal protection according to the risks of the work activities carried out. So, it can be concluded that the personal protective equipment used by pharmacists and radiographers in Kendal District while on duty during the covid-19 pandemic has met the elements of compliance requirements in efforts to control the transmission of covid-19, such as the use of personal protective equipment based on indications for their use by considering the risk of exposure and possible transmission dynamics. By implementing appropriate personal protective equipment when working, it is hoped that pharmacists and radiographers in Kendal District can be protected from transmission of covid-19.

Teachers’ Experiences on the Implementation of COVID-19 Protocols Amidst the Pandemic in Mmashadi Circuit of the Sekhukhune District

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic extended to the education sector in South Africa, prompting the implementation of preventative measures by the National Coronavirus Command Council. These COVID-19 protocols included the wearing of face masks or face shields, ensuring maximum ventilation, washing of hands, and school attendance routines to deal with overcrowded classrooms, among others. This study aimed to delve into the implementation of COVID-19 protocols in schools, focusing on the strategies utilised and the challenges teachers encountered. Employing a qualitative research methodology within a case study framework, the study involved eight teachers (five male and three female) from four schools in the Sekhukhune District, selected through purposive sampling. Data were elicited through semi-structured interviews to gain a thorough understanding of the phenomenon and coded for anonymity purposes. Aligned with the goal of the study, thematic data analysis was adopted for analysing the data. The findings revealed that teachers faced significant challenges in balancing their responsibilities in implementing COVID-19 protocols alongside making up for lost teaching time. However, alternative strategies were employed by teachers to mitigate this loss including the deployment of assistant teachers to support protocol and assist students with homework, additional security personnel to help guard and control unnecessary school visits, and for teachers to provide supplementary notes and embark on online learning. Recommendations include the increased deployment of support personnel, increased community involvement, training teachers to use online learning platforms, and for the Department of Basic Education to develop a guidance sheet to assist teachers in navigating the challenges of teaching during a pandemic.

Global Medical Supply Inequities

The global issue of medical supply inequity exists as some countries have excess medical supplies, which leads to large amounts of medical supply waste resulting in both economical and environmental harm. However, many countries face the opposite issue and instead have a shortage of necessary, life-saving medical supplies. The duality of the issue is a harsh and widespread reality throughout the world. For example, the United States generates about 4.7 million pounds of medical waste yearly (Zygourakis et al., 2015; Thiel et al., 2020). In contrast, India, especially during the COVID-19 epidemic, faced a massive shortage of essential equipment like N-95 respirators, face shields, as well as ventilators. To reduce the worldwide inequities that arise due to the imbalance of medical supplies, Blueprints for Pangaea (B4P), a medical surplus recovery organization was founded. B4P, headquartered at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, redistributes unused medical supplies to places in need both locally and internationally, effectively reducing medical supply inequities one shipment at a time. This paper aims to explore the key components and global dynamics contributing to medical waste and to consider B4P as a potential model for addressing this problem.

Influence of easing COVID-19 strategies following downgrading of the national infectious disease category on COVID-19 occurrence among hospitalized patients in Japan

PurposeWe aimed to evaluate the influence of easing COVID-19 preventive measures following its downgrading to a common infectious disease on COVID-19 occurrence among hospitalized patients. MethodsNosocomial occurrence of COVID-19 was compared between periods with national infectious disease category 5 versus the preceding category 2 equivalent. Changes in the revised manual included a shorter duration of work restrictions for infected health care practitioners (HCPs); no work restriction for HCPs exposed to SARS-CoV-2 with a negative test on days 1, 3 and 5; discontinuation of universal pre-admission screening; and pre-emptive isolation of patients without screening. Wearing an N95 mask and face shield was required in procedure/care with moderate-to high-risk contact. ResultsAlthough the mean monthly number of infected HCPs increased from 8.1 to 12.7 in the category 5 period (p = 0.034) and that of pre-admission screening decreased to one-fourth, the COVID-19 incidence in hospitalized patients remained similar between the two study periods (1.60 ± 5.59/month versus 1.40 ± 2.63/month, p = 0.358). Clusters, defined as ≥3 COVID-19 patients on the ward, were experienced twice in the preceding period and only once in the category 5 period. The index cases causing nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 transmission mostly involved rehabilitation therapists in the preceding period; five of six index cases were patients in the category 5 period. Following the expanded indication for N95 masks, neither SARS-CoV-2 transmission to patients nor transmission from infected patients was observed in HCPs for 1 year. ConclusionWith sustained, enhanced standard precautions, easing prevention strategies could limit nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Infection Control Attitude, Knowledge and Awareness Level Among Dental Students and Interns in the Removable Prosthodontic Department at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Benghazi, Libya

Background: Dental students have increased patient contact during their education and clinical practice, putting them, their patient population and Dental Health Care Workers (DHCW) at high risk of cross-infection. Awareness of infection control principles may help in preventing disease transmission; therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of infection control knowledge, attitude, and practice among dental students and interns in a removable prosthodontic department at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Benghazi, Libya. Materials and Methods: In May 2023, we distributed questionnaires containing 33 items to interns, 3rd-year, and 4th-year dental students at the faculty. The questions covered topics such as hepatitis B vaccination, use of personal protective barriers, knowledge of infection control protocols, and practice in the removable prosthodontic department of the faculty. Descriptive statistics were recorded using frequency and percentages. Differences in proportions were assessed using the Chi-square and Fisher exact test. All statistical analyses were performed at a p-value less than 0.05. Results: A total of four hundred and ten (410) participants responded to the questionnaire. Around 21.5% of the students had completed their hepatitis B vaccination, while 41.2% had never been vaccinated. Regarding the self-reported use of protective barriers, intern students showed a significantly higher score than did other study groups (P &lt;0.001). Moreover, the vast majority of 3rd year students reported never wearing eyewear, a face shield, or the head cap (73.2%), (81.1%), or (70.1%), respectively. About two-thirds of intern students (69.4%) showed positive attitudes toward the treatment of patients with infectious diseases. Conclusion: This study showed moderate compliance to infection control procedures among the participants, they have limited orientation and knowledge of the infection control guidelines and policies. Despite a positive attitude toward infection control measures, proper infection control practices were not consistently followed. Consequently, it is essential to take action to ensure that students understand the critical importance of practicing cross-infection control. Higher education institutions should implement effective solutions to address this issue.

Comparative evaluation of intubator performance and time taken for intubation in COVID patients using two different barrier devices requiring emergency endotracheal intubation: A randomized cross over study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated use of barrier devices, such as goggles and face shields, during endotracheal intubation procedures to protect healthcare professionals. While there is existing research on the efficacy of these devices in simulated environments, there is a lack of published studies comparing their utility in real COVID-19 cases. This randomized crossover study aimed to compare the performance of face shields and goggles during endotracheal intubation in actual COVID-19 cases. MethodsThe study was registered in Clinical Trials Registry of India with registration no. CTRI/2022/07/044114 and was conducted at a tertiary care hospital emergency Operartion theatres (OTs) from May 2022 till March 2023. Experienced airway management professionals participated in the study, with a sample size of 128 participants: using either face shields (Group F) or goggles (Group G). The participants performed intubation attempts using both face shields and goggles in a crossover manner. Subgroups were formed based on whether participants wore medically prescribed spectacles or not. The numerical variables were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test/Unpaired t-test. The categorical variables were analyzed by Chi-square test/Fischer exact-test. ResultsThe overall intubation time was significantly shorter in face shield group (12.75 ± 1.84 s) compared to the goggles group (14.30 ± 1.96 s) (P < 0.005). Additionally, the time taken for endotracheal tube insertion into the glottis was significantly shorter in the face shield group (3.52 ± 1.22 s) compared to the goggles group (4.26 ± 1.37 s) (P < 0.005). Participants rated the vision and clarity higher in the face shield group (P < 0.001). However, they found face shields to be more claustrophobic compared to goggles (P < 0.001). ConclusionThe study concludes that face shields may offer benefits in terms of faster intubation times, improved vision and clarity, better ergonomics and also more suited for healthcare workers with prescribed spectacles, but potential claustrophobic effects to be kept in mind while selecting protective equipment for healthcare professionals performing intubations.

COVID-19: changes in individual and collective biosafety in dental practice

Objective: The purpose of this research is to investigate and evaluate the situation of dental practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A survey was carried out among dental professionals located in the state of Pará, Brazil. The survey was anonymous and carried out online, analyzing dental procedures carried out during the pandemic, preventive measures adopted and predictions about future changes in dentistry, after the pandemic. Results: The analyzes indicated that the majority of dentists were aware of the consequences of the pandemic for dental practice and adopted preventive measures to avoid contamination and reduce transmission, such as removing objects from the waiting area, cleaning and disinfecting between patients, questioning of signs and symptoms and increased use of personal protective equipment such as surgical masks, waterproof coats and face shields. Conclusion: Therefore, it is essential that dental professionals persist in biosafety methods, as they can be a great ally against the rapid transmission of COVID-19.

Effect of different personal protective equipment on sound discrimination in children using unilateral cochlear implants during the COVID-19 pandemic

ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic obliged people to wear personal protective equipment (PPEs), which can harm verbal communication and speech intelligibility. The first aim was to study the impact of wearing PPEs on the voice and speech parameters of phoniatricians during therapy sessions. The second aim was to study the effect of phoniatricians wearing these PPEs on auditory discrimination of the Ling’s six sounds in children using unilateral cochlear implants.MethodsThe study was a case–control one, done in the phoniatrics outpatient clinics at Beni-Suef University and Cairo University hospitals. Four phoniatricians participated in this study, and the Dr. Speech software analyzed their speech and voice parameters during utterance of the Ling’s six sounds. Each phoniatrician uttered each Ling sound individually four times to assess fundamental frequency and intensity: first time without wearing any mask, second time while wearing a surgical mask, third time while wearing a face shield, and fourth time while wearing an N95 mask. The study also included forty patients using unilateral cochlear implants (group A) and forty children with normal peripheral hearing (group B). The phoniatricians again uttered the Ling’s six sounds to assess auditory discrimination in both groups. This subjective auditory discrimination was also tested in both groups four times: first time without wearing any mask, second time while wearing a surgical mask, third time while wearing a face shield, and fourth time while wearing an N95 mask.Results and conclusionThe intensity of Ling’s six sounds was significantly lowest in the face shield. Regardless of the PPE type, patients with unilateral cochlear implants showed less consonant discrimination of (mm) sound. Surgical masks and N95 provided the best acoustic performance, while face shields had the worst.