Hazmat suits

[Purplewhitelie]

Why are some people not making the connection?

I am middle aged I have never seen anyone wear them before when handling infection within hospitals or for cleaning doctors surgeries.

Why are some just saying it’s a cold. Is this ostrich syndrome?

Bump

For someone people it will be like a cold though.

I think many many british people have a huge denial things happen to other countries and not us.

The majority of people recover but that seems to be missed out of the coverage.

The hazmat stuff is only so that a huge number of medics don't go off sick at the same time.

It's not because the virus is the next Ebola.

But I read 117 medics died in China. Iran has just had 8 male hospital doctors die also. Maybe they were not wearing them though.

We do actually wear PPE when dealing with anything infectious. This is being taken more seriously because we know that none of us are immune and the NHS cannot function with a third or more of us off sick. Plus we don't want to transfer it to vulnerable patients who we also know will not be immune. We do wear masks, aprons and gloves when near anyone with confirmed flu too though!

Purple, there isn't enough PPE for us to wear it all the time and keep changing it between every single patient. Plus would be terrifying for unaffected paediatric patients etc. So it is only natural some of us will be exposed to it when not wearing PPE as we will be in contact with people infected who aren't yet displaying symptoms. I fully expect to end up in that situation. I think handwashing can only go so far to protect us all!

Our cleaning contractor has written to say they won't be cleaning any "infected" premises as they don't have the suits. Not sure where that leaves us TBH

Just to put it in context, as a midwife who works in antenatal clinics, homebirths, postnatal home visits and a shift a week in labour ward. I could be in contact with 40 or more women a week, I couldn't wear fresh PPE for each woman. Yet any could be unknowingly infected. If a woman is diagnosed, then we will wear full PPE of course.

True.