Do people realise that covid patients don't wear masks?

[Arundelclassrom]

Just interested to hear if people know this. I see a lot on these threads that people think it's "ok for doctors and nurses because they have effective ppe". Do you realise that masks do not protect you, they protect others from you? Do you realise covid patients who are struggling to breathe do not wear masks? Do you realise they are coughing all over us as we provide care?

I'm not saying this to complain - this is my job and I do it willingly because I care. I'm just getting really frustrated seeing people who apparently think there is no risk involved in my job, and that theirs is somehow more risky than a job where we are in an enclosed space with actual confirmed covid patients...

@Vivana

Lifeisabeach09

But you could add supermarket workers to the list to as they work long hours around hundreds of people in just basic masks.

Not such close contact for extended periods. And both the customers and the retail workers are wearing masks, which might add some protection, so no, I wouldn't add shopworkers.

Community , gloves, plastic apron, glasses and surgical masks of varying degrees of quality and comfort, for all patients regardless. Have one fit tested mask for CPR, with a dubious shelf life.

My hat goes off to you... im not going to lie but if i was a nurse during this horrible time I'd have probably quit my job out of fear... 😟

Can I ask how many of you wearing FFP3 have actually be properly fit tested for the right mask?

Is in quantitive or qualitative test with a machine or a hood and bitten?

@Florencemattell

To all staff working in care homes , GP surgeries and hospitals the biggest thank you ! We do care about you and I think the PPE or lack of needs to be published more widely.

We could all go out and clap again? show how much we really care but we don't really care do we.

Lack of PPE is widely known and talked about on the more serious news outlets.

Its the care homes and agency staff that is al problem, that is allowing CV into CH's, no one really gives shit.

I would have thought it obvious that someone with a respiratory disease wouldn't be wearing a face mask unless it was one supplying oxygen .

However I had assumed , wrongly perhaps, that the PPE worn by NHS staff was far superior to the things we buy to do our shopping and that they were fully protected. That's why there was all the publicity last Spring when inappropriate PPE was ordered . Apologies if I had assumed this wrongly .

@youdidask

Can I ask how many of you wearing FFP3 have actually be properly fit tested for the right mask?

Is in quantitive or qualitative test with a machine or a hood and bitten?

Mine was a machine.

@Lucymumofson

Sorry where do you work? I work in a large acute hospital with wards full of confirmed covid patients. No member of staff is allowed near a covid positive patient without full head to toe PPE, not a surgical mask on its own. Any patients on the covid step down ward (ten days plus asymptomatic) - then the staff are wearing amber PPE (ffp surgical mask, glasses/visor, aprons and gloves). For the rest of the hospital is gloves aprons and surgical mask...

@Lucymumofson

Are you doing AGP?

We wore surgical mask, apron and gloves and visor for covid positive non AGP treatment. The same as OP

I never agreed with it as even getting patients up out of bed could be described as an agp.

@Duemarch2021

My hat goes off to you... im not going to lie but if i was a nurse during this horrible time I'd have probably quit my job out of fear... 😟

We have to keep paying our mortgages though. I've had covid, caught at work, luckily a mild case. Hopefully that gives some immunity. But yes, I have often been nursing coughing covid patients with only the surgical mask, gloves and apron. I have been fit tested for the ffp3, but as pp have said, they're only used for aerosol generating procedures. Yes, we do feel very unprotected. But what can we do?

This tells you the occupations with increased risk of death from COVID. Not necessarily what you would expect

www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/these-jobs-make-you-most-likely-to-die-of-covid-19/ar-BB166L4G

I know it’s not government guidance for teachers to wear masks but I’m sure they could if the really wanted to. I suspect most don’t bother asking the headteacher if they can because they suspect the basic masks don’t actually protect them that well, which is what a lot of healthcare professionals also suspect.

Its the care homes and agency staff that is al problem, that is allowing CV into CH's, no one really gives shit.

The impact of agency staff isn't spoken about enough imo.

We aren't allowed to pick up bank shifts outside of our units (usually 3 orn4 wards to choose from) to limit the contacts. However agency staff are working here there and everywhere. And many dont get paid to self isolate so are they going to isolate of say a family member is symptomatic?

It’s clearly not obvious at all. I have been coughed on so ferociously at times in the last 6 months that I can physically see the droplets land. A dying patient with lung cancer and covid, or someone with end stage MND who struggles for every breath? A head and neck cancer patient who breaths through a trache and tests positive but requires suctioning of their airway secretions. A patient in end stage cardiac failure with that unrelenting, foamy, constant cough?

How on earth do people think patients like these can wear masks?

@Ilovecgeese53 I am a TA. I have never compared the two. I have had Covid and am still (8 months on) receiving amazing treatment from the NHS. You guys are amazing! None of us should be put at risk that's my point.

@Umbridge34

Its the care homes and agency staff that is al problem, that is allowing CV into CH's, no one really gives shit.

The impact of agency staff isn't spoken about enough imo.

We aren't allowed to pick up bank shifts outside of our units (usually 3 orn4 wards to choose from) to limit the contacts. However agency staff are working here there and everywhere. And many dont get paid to self isolate so are they going to isolate of say a family member is symptomatic?

Agree with this. However, some care agencies only assign carers to set care homes (if there are enough shifts available) so they don't move around as much. And some care homes will swab agency workers along with the rest of their staff. It's a catch 22 though. Because care homes have the same sickness, staff isolation and staff turnover issues as hospitals so are heavily dependent on agency staff.

More data here www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-jobs-risk-exposure-occupations-security-a9515721.html

Dental nurses followed by dentists the most risky

I work in A&E and I would say 90% off all patients are compliant with masks, covid or not, with the exception of some resus patients but even some of them wear masks.

PPE is the same in our "hot" and "cold" areas, basic surgical mask, goggles, pinny, gloves. FFP3 and gown is only for aerosol generating procedures - same throughout the trust.

Surprisingly very few staff have caught covid. Less than 10 out of 120+

If you haven't been properly fitted for an ffp3 mask or the mask failed during your test then your trust is breaking the law by not supplying you with the correct equipment.

Can confirm. And, as I watched Covid +ve patients move through the A&E dept alongside non Covid patients I thought how the hospital environment is the ideal place to come to catch Covid. Shocking TBH.

I’m in the community and for Covid positive patients we wear surgical mask, visor, gloves and apron. FFP3 is only worn for aerosol generating procedures. I think it does vary from trust to trust.
This exactly in my trust

Yep and also care staff have much less adequate PPE than NHS. A surgical mask and apron when treating people with covid. Visor optional!

@nostaples

More data here www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-jobs-risk-exposure-occupations-security-a9515721.html

Dental nurses followed by dentists the most risky

How many dentists have remained open? How many are seeing only emergency cases?

Yep. Our agency staff come straight in from countries, or from different care homes round the UK frequently.

You are using the risk of infection index right?

That's also the one that puts nursery nurses, TAs and primary teachers right near the top.

It's an odd report that one but i can link tot he actual study although it is quite hard to find and based on US data and self reporting.

Just being a data geek.

@CodenameVillanelle

My sister in law is a radiographer and for covid positive patients she wears the full protective gear. If your hospital isn't providing that they are in the wrong.

Not true, my DD is a radiographer and gets a surgical mask, goggles and apron. She was in the hot zone for four hours today.

Huge teaching hospital trust in Tier 2 in the north that work to government guidelines.