Masking up against COVID-19 controls source, protects receiver

+Practice

In print

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Masking up against COVID-19 controls source, protects receiver

3 August 2022

David McBride

Wednesday 3 August 2022, 12:20 AM

In a crowded, unventilated bus, a high proportion of the breaths you take is likely to be air other passengers have exhaled [Image: Manki Kim on Unsplash]

Occupational health expert David McBride outlines the role of masks and their make-up as one element of COVID-19 risk management in the context of the ‘hierarchy of control’ system, where PPE is considered the least level of protection

Key points, The “hierarchy of control” system – in a sequence of source, path and receiver – evaluates protection against a discovered potential hazard. An infe, Pract Green w Pale Yellow

Occupational Health

Respiratory Health

COVID-19

References

Hancock F. Whose breath are you breathing? RNZ News. 11 July 2022. www.rnz.co.nz
Walls C, Emrys G, Gavaghan S, et al. A model respiratory personal protective programme for the New Zealand healthcare industry. N Z Med J 2020;133(1522):161–66.
Wang Y, Deng Z, Shi D. How effective is a mask in preventing COVID-19 infection? Med Devices Sens 2021;4:e10163.
Konda A, Prakash A, Moss GA, et al. Aerosol filtration efficiency of common fabrics used in respiratory cloth masks. ACS Nano 2020;14:6339–47.
Padula WV, Cuddigan J, Ruotsi L, et al. Best-practices for preventing skin injury beneath personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A position paper from the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel. J Clin Nurs 2021;00:1–8.

How to Treat

+How to treat

Polypharmacy

For older people and frail people, the long-term benefit of medicines reduces and the potential for harm from adverse effects increases. When the benefit–risk balance changes in this way, medicine review and optimisation are important to simplify the therapeutic regimen, reduce inappropriate medicines and minimise risks. In this article, pharmacist prescriber Linda Bryant uses two case studies to illustrate important considerations during medicine reviews

Wednesday 28 May 2025, 12:50 AM