Midwife came close without PPE

[chocolate26]

I might be being really finicky but yesterday I ended up in maternity triage to get some bloods taken, I'm almost 38 weeks. I have been to triage a couple of times during lockdown and all midwives and doctors have always been wearing masks and face shields but yesterday they were only wearing masks with no face shields which I felt was fine.

The midwife who came to hand me back my notes and tell me I could go home came over to me with no mask or face shield! She got quite close to me to speak without others being able to hear what she was saying. I haven't been that close to anyone apart from my husband for 10 weeks. Am I right in thinking it was irresponsible of her to do that? I have health anxiety and I can't stop worrying that she's passed Coronavirus to me 😕 do you think they have been told it's okay not to wear them as much now because of lockdown being lifted? Am I making a mountain out of a molehill? It just felt so strange.

Hi im nhs clinical but not a midwife, the guidance from our trust is to wear ppe when performing procedures which require physical contact eg taking bloods etc. It is highly unlikely she has passed coronavirus to you from a brief verbal interaction. Im sorry i think you are understandably over thinking this.

Take care, xx

@Stealthynamechange thank you 😊 that's what I needed to hear!

😊 take care, all the best with the rest of your pregnancy xx

I've just been in hospital on a maternity ward for 3 days and staff wore masks and gloves most of the time, but not always. Definitely for all physical contact but there were a couple of verbal interactions where they didn't. The only time I saw face shields worn was when I went for scans.

Masks are more for stopping the wearer catching it from others rather than stopping them passing it on if that makes sense, so, if you're really worried about it, you should be the one wearing the mask. The PPE is mainly for the nurses/doctors to protect themselves.