Tag: N95 respirators

We can, and must, do more to protect students in higher education from the risks of post-COVID condition

Published December 8, 2024

Published by: The Conversation
Published on: December 8, 2024
By Julia M. Wright, Dick Zoutman, Mark Ungrin, Ryan Tennant

Canada’s postsecondary institutions have a responsibility to protect students and others on campus from the risks of post-COVID condition as a matter of campus safety.

Canada’s Chief Science Advisor, Mona Nemer, recently released the report, Dealing with the Fallout: Post-COVID Condition and its Continued Impacts on Individuals and Society.

Post-COVID condition (PCC), also known as “long COVID,” refers to the poorly understood and often serious health damage left by the SARS-CoV-2 virus after the acute illness appears to have passed.

Universities, colleges and schools have a duty to take reasonable precautions to protect students, staff and faculty from foreseeable harms. They must ensure the water on campus is safe to drink. They must install fire and carbon monoxide detectors and make evacuation plans. Many have adopted a smoke-free policy on campus as part of a commitment to an international charter on health promotion in universities and colleges. Yet there is little pandemic health promotion on Canadian campuses.

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France

Tour de France Reinstates COVID-19 Measures as More Cases Emerge in the Peloton

Published July 14, 2024

Published by: Bicycling
Published on: July 14, 2024
By Rosael Torres-Davis

The Tour de France has reinstated COVID-19 protective measures, requiring race organizers, media, and guests to wear masks when in contact with riders and team staff. This protocol was announced by race organizer ASO on Sunday morning after several recent COVID-19 cases among the peloton.

“In order to limit health risks, it is now compulsory to wear a mask in the various areas where you will be in contact with the riders and members of the cycling teams,” read the statement from the ASO.

Riders who have abandoned the race due to the virus include Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers), Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates), and Michael Mørkøv (Astana-Qazaqstan). Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) remains in the Tour despite testing positive, as the rules currently allow.

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Y’all masking?

“Y’all Masking?” hashtag goes viral on X, showing maskers they are not alone

Published July 8, 2024

Published by: Boing Boing
Published on: July 8, 2024
By Jennifer Sandlin

If you always feel like the lone masker wherever you go, I have some great news for you – you’re not! And the new “Y’all Masking?” trend on X/Twitter is proving it, much to my utter delight.

If you’re not on X, I honestly do not blame you at all. I’m literally only still there because it’s one of the few places left where I can get actual news about COVID-19. Over the last few days, the “Y’all Masking?” hashtag has gone viral on the platform, and my feed has been filled with selfies of awesome, smart, kind, beautiful people wearing masks of all sorts of shapes and sizes. Seeing so many folks who are still masking has honestly given me the boost I needed to continue masking and staying safe from COVID-19, especially as we’re currently in yet another surge.

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British Columbia

BC health advocates demand return of mandatory masks in healthcare

Published May 14, 2024

Published by: The Peak
Published on: May 14, 2024
By Yashita Dhillon

In response to April’s removal of mandatory mask mandates in healthcare settings, BC’s health advocacy group DoNoHarm BC, joined by Protect Our Province BC and Masks4EastVan, are leading a campaign to urge the provincial government to reinstate these protections. The groups say that BC health authorities have ignored warnings about ongoing COVID-19 risks and other respiratory threats like measles and tuberculosis.

The decision to remove mask mandates in healthcare settings was announced by the Ministry of Health, “the peak of the respiratory illness season has passed.” Though COVID-19 levels typically lessen in the spring, COVID-19 has not been established as a seasonal illness.

The Peak reached out to Dr. Karina Zeidler who organizes with DoNoHarm BC and is the co-founder of Protect Our Province BC for more information. Zeidler referenced a research article from BC Medical Journal which noted that “for some of these most vulnerable patients, the air in the hospital can be deadlier than the diagnosis that brought them in.” This is due to hospital acquired infections, which can then lead to COVID-19 deaths.

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climate crisis

Edmonton to see smoky skies, poor air quality into Monday night

Published May 12, 2024

Published by: CTV News
Published on: May 12, 2024
By Brittany Ekelund

Edmontonians saw a slight improvement in the smoky skies Sunday.

The air quality index in the city had dropped from a 10 – very high risk – to a high-risk 9 by Sunday afternoon.

According to Environment Canada, wildfire smoke is harmful even at low concentrations, and residents in affected areas were told to reduce or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities and watch for symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation.

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Ontario: Consultation on infection prevention and control (IPAC)

Image description: Photo of a healthcare worker with long brown hair, who is wearing a white respirator and glasses. To the right, there is some black text reading: Rx Prescription for healthcare settings: Wear an N95, FFP3 or elastomeric respirator. Use HEPA filters. It’s airborne. StillCOVIDing.ca

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Ontario: Consultation on infection prevention and control (IPAC)

Published May 2, 2024

📣 The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has initiated a consultation on infection prevention and control (IPAC). Do you want healthcare workers to wear N95 respirators? Would it be safer with HEPA filters in healthcare settings? Let them know!

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BC health advocates call on government to reinstate healthcare mask requirements

A white N95 mask with yellow head straps against an orange gradient background. White text reads, Vulnerability isn’t seasonal. #KeepMasksInHealthcare. Let’s get loud! www.DoNoHarmBC.ca

British Columbia

BC health advocates call on government to reinstate healthcare mask requirements

Published April 25, 2024

Published by: DoNoHarm BC
Published on: April 17, 2024

Protect Our Province BC, DoNoHarm BC, and Masks4EastVan highlight harms and human rights violations from loss of healthcare safety

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 (British Columbia) – Independent public health groups Protect Our Province BC, DoNoHarm BC, and Masks4EastVan are calling on the BC government to restore healthcare mask requirements. They are urging British Columbians to call for airborne pathogen protections in clinical settings by joining DoNoHarm BC’s campaign.

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indoor air quality

Ventilation Should Be A Larger Focus In Our Fight Against Covid-19

Published March 22, 2024

Published by: Forbes
Published on: March 22, 2024
By Judy Stone

The CDC recently eliminated isolation periods for people ill and likely infectious from Covid. Their Healthcare Infection Control Advisory Committee drafted guidelines weakening infection precautions, particularly regarding masking. Fortunately, after a wave of public criticism, the guidelines were sent back to HICPAC for revision.

People are increasingly left to their own devices to protect themselves against infection. So, what can you do? Mask and improve ventilation. Uniformly, wearing a well-fitting, effective respirator, such as an N95 certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or an elastomeric respirator, is the top recommendation. KF94 masks, the Korean standard, are preferred by many because, while not quite as protective, they use ear loops rather than over-the-head straps and don’t fit as tightly. KN95s meet the Chinese standards, but there were more problems with counterfeiting. Project N95 was a nonprofit I (and many) relied on because they carefully vetted their products. They have maintained a list of previously vetted products on that site, although they are no longer supplying masks.

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Advocacy group calls for stronger mask requirements in B.C.

A young person with long black hair, a red headband and a black respirator holds two yellow signs reading: “1 in 33 in BC are currently infected” and “I’ve had long Covid for 20+ months. Please do not abandon us.” Photo: DoNoHarm BC.

British Columbia

Advocacy group calls for stronger mask requirements in B.C.

Published March 16, 2024

Published by: CityNews
Published on: March 16, 2024
By Aastha Pandey-Kanaan

Advocacy group launches province-wide campaign to strengthen mask protections in healthcare.

DoNoHarm BC, a grassroots group advocating for public health measures, is campaigning to keep mask protections in the healthcare industry year-long.

In a release, the organization says healthcare workers are not required to stay masked everywhere. Last April, they were able to stop masking in various settings, including in ERs, children’s hospitals, and cancer centres.

“B.C. currently requires masks in hospitals and long-term care for staff, contractors, visitors, and volunteers – but not for patients,” DoNoHarm BC said in a news release.

“While policy-makers have only guaranteed this measure for a “few months” over the winter, DoNoHarm BC notes the last time BC discarded healthcare masking, multiple medical facilities suffered COVID outbreaks.”

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“Vulnerability isn’t seasonal”: DoNoHarm BC launches campaign to keep masks in BC healthcare

Two adults in N95 masks against a light blue background, one with long dark hair, assisting an elder with white hair using a walker. Black text reads, Vulnerability Isn’t Seasonal. #KeepMasksInHealthcare. Have your say by April 1, 2024. www.DoNoHarmBC.ca

British Columbia

“Vulnerability isn’t seasonal”: DoNoHarm BC launches campaign to keep masks in BC healthcare

Published March 14, 2024

Published by: DoNoHarm BC
Published on: March 14, 2024

Vulnerable British Columbians call for continued protections from COVID-19, measles, and other airborne diseases

March 14, 2024 (British Columbia) – DoNoHarm BC, a grassroots group advocating for evidence-based public health measures, is leading a province-wide campaign to keep mask protections in BC medical settings. The campaign, “Vulnerability Isn’t Seasonal”, also calls to strengthen infection control with patient masking; wider use of N95 masks; and coverage in private practices like GP’s offices.

BC currently requires masks in hospitals and long-term care for staff, contractors, visitors and volunteers – but not for patients. While policy-makers have only guaranteed this measure for a “few months” over the winter, DoNoHarm BC notes that the last time BC discarded healthcare masking, multiple medical facilities suffered COVID outbreaks. At the time, removal of healthcare masking contradicted guidance from the World Health Organization, and prompted BC’s Human Rights Commissioner to state that the move “does not uphold a human rights centered approach to public health.”

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United Kingdom

Long Covid: Health staff go to court for compensation

Published March 6, 2024

Published by: BBC
Published on: March 6, 2024
By Catherine Burns

Nearly 70 healthcare workers with long Covid have taken their fight to the High Court to try to sue the NHS and other employers for compensation.

The staff, from England and Wales, believe they first caught Covid at work during the pandemic and say they were not properly protected from the virus.

Many of them say they are left with life-changing disabilities and are likely to lose income as a result.

The Department of Health said “there are lessons to be learnt” from Covid.

The group believe they were not provided with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) at work, which includes eye protection, gloves, gowns and aprons.

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Canada

COVID PPE makers sue Ottawa for $5B, say feds broke promise

Published February 14, 2024

Published by: Global News
Published on: February 14, 2024
By Patti Sonntag

Fifteen Canadian mask and respirator manufacturers are suing the federal government for $5.4 billion in damages, claiming that Ottawa broke its promises to buy their products to fight the spread of COVID-19.

In a statement of claim filed in Federal Court last week, the companies and their industry association, the Canadian Association of PPE Manufacturers (CAPPEM), made “negligent misrepresentations” that prompted them to invest in personal protection equipment innovations, manufacturing and production.

The federal government will have an opportunity to file a defence to the unproven allegations as the court case proceeds.

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Australia

Too many patients are catching COVID in Australian hospitals, doctors say. So why are hospitals rolling back precautions?

Published February 10, 2024

Published by: ABC News
Published on: February 11, 2024
By Hayley Gleeson

Steve Irons’ older brother Jim was only supposed to be in hospital for a short while. A retired stockman from Maryborough, Queensland, Jim was diagnosed with leukaemia just before Christmas in 2022. He was flown to Brisbane for testing, then back to Maryborough Hospital, where doctors were putting together a plan for him to be treated at home.

But a patient in the room next door to Jim’s had COVID, Steve says, and on January 14 last year, Jim tested positive too. “After four days, when the hospital told me he was no longer infectious, I took the risk and decided to visit him,” says Steve, who’d flown up from Tasmania. “I sat with him for three days, playing country music, reading to him.”

And then, on Saturday January 21, Jim Irons died of COVID-19 pneumonia and acute myeloid leukaemia, aged 79. It still distresses Steve to know his brother would have lived longer had he not caught a dangerous virus in a place he should have been safe.

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Waterloo Region

Group of University of Waterloo students demanding improved response to COVID-19-related issues

Published February 9, 2024

Published by: CityNews
Published on: February 9, 2024
By Josh Piercey

A group of students at the University of Waterloo (UW) have penned an open letter to administration demanding the institution meet certain standards of care due to its ‘silence and inaction about the ongoing health crisis.’

Their group, called the Covid Action, Response and Equity (CARE) Coalition UW, is made up of about 10 students attending the university.

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Study: Infection-control measures stemmed COVID spread in hospitals from 2020 to 2022

Lieutenant (junior grade) Kayla Marthy, from Long Island, New York (left), and Lieutenant (junior grade) Brianna Garcia, from St. Petersburg, Florida, treat a patient in the intensive care unit aboard the hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), on April 13, 2020. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan M. Breeden.

N95 respirators

Study: Infection-control measures stemmed COVID spread in hospitals from 2020 to 2022

Published January 17, 2024

Published by: CIDRAP
Published on: January 17, 2024
By Mary Van Beusekom

Implementation of ventilation standards of at least five clean-air changes per hour, COVID-19 testing, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and universal wearing of respirators prevented most SARS-CoV-2 transmissions in a California healthcare system from 2020 to 2022, suggests a study published yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

For the study, University of California (UC) researchers used electronic health records and movement data of patients and staff to conduct viral genomic and social network analyses to estimate COVID-19 spread in the UC–San Diego Health system. The team analyzed 12,933 viral genomes from 35,666 infected patients and healthcare workers (HCWs) (out of 1,303,622 tests [2.7%]) from November 2020 to January 2022.

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the pandemic is not over

COVID Isn’t Going Anywhere. Masking Up Could Save My Life.

Published January 17, 2024

Published by: Teen Vogue
Published on: January 17, 2024
By Alice Wong

The answers lie in poop. Based on the latest national sample of wastewater taken on January 13, 2024, the concentration of the SARS-Cov-2 virus is 1,132 copies/mL of sewage, an alarming increase compared to 280 copies/mL six months ago. This is one sign that cases of COVID infections have been rising, resulting in more hospitalizations, deaths, and people developing long COVID.

Like millions of other high-risk people who are service workers, older, chronically ill, disabled, or immunocompromised, I have done everything I can to remain as safe as possible. Due to neuromuscular disability and respiratory failure, my chances of surviving an infection are slim to none. With the latest JN.1 variant likely even more contagious – or better practiced at evading immune system defenses – than previous ones, I wonder if this is the surge when I will become infected, which is terrifying.

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JN.1 is Canada’s new dominant COVID-19 subvariant. Here’s what to know

This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (yellow), isolated from a patient in the United States, emerging from the surface of cells (blue/pink) cultured in the lab. Image captured and colourized at NIAID’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana. Credit: NIAID.

JN.1

JN.1 is Canada’s new dominant COVID-19 subvariant. Here’s what to know

Published January 5, 2024

Published by: Global News
Published on: January 5, 2024
By Katie Dangerfield

A new COVID-19 subvariant, known as JN.1, has emerged and is now the prevailing strain across Canada, prompting health experts to caution that it may be more infectious and could even have extra symptoms.

Currently, the subvariant makes up the highest proportion of all COVID-19 variants, accounting for more than half (51.9 per cent) of all infections in Canada, according to the latest data from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

JN.1 was first detected in Canada on Oct. 9, and since then has rapidly increased.

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United States

States are trashing troves of masks and pandemic gear as huge, costly stockpiles linger and expire

Published December 20, 2023

Published by: The Associated Press
Published on: December 20, 2023
By Jennifer Peltz, David A. Lieb

When the coronavirus pandemic took hold in an unprepared U.S., many states like Ohio scrambled for masks and other protective gear. Supplies were so limited in 2020 that the state bought millions of medical gowns from a marketing and printing company and spent about $20 million to try to get personal protective equipment made in-state.

Three years later, as the grips of the pandemic have loosened, Ohio and other states are now trying to deal with an excess of protective gear, ditching their supplies in droves.

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Protect Our Province BC, DoNoHarm BC, and Masks4EastVan highlight harms and human rights violations from loss of healthcare safety

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Vulnerable British Columbians call for continued protections from COVID-19, measles, and other airborne diseases

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