TTO – The Ministry of Health said that the unit has just issued an urgent dispatch instructing the use of personal protective equipment in the prevention of the COVID-19 epidemic. In it, there are instructions for medical staff to take COVID-19 test samples ‘no
On June 25, the Ministry of Health said that the unit has just issued an express dispatch instructing the use of personal protective equipment in the prevention of the COVID-19 epidemic.
The official dispatch stated: in the opinion of the World Health Organization office in Vietnam, based on risk assessment and mode of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the use of personal protective equipment in Vietnam is currently is not entirely reasonable. Especially in hot weather conditions and the increased demand for testing has affected the health of samplers.
Accordingly, in order to ensure the health of medical staff, ensure the quality of patient samples, and prevent epidemics, especially in hot weather, the Ministry of Health temporarily guides the use of medical equipment. Personal protection when taking patient samples as follows:
1. Based on local resources, the testing facility provides and instructs staff to take samples for COVID-19 monitoring, who can use a loose suit of suitable sizes including a long-sleeved medical gown Full body coverage from neck to knees, fixed laces at the nape of the neck and around the neck, hood, removable shoe covers. It is not necessary to wear full body protection.
2. The person taking the sample needs to follow the correct procedure for using a mask to ensure a snug fit to the face. Do not use 2 layers of masks including a medical mask inside a mask with a high filtering effect (such as an N95 mask or equivalent).
3. During the sampling process, you can use 1 pair of medical gloves (without talcum powder) and disinfect the gloves with a quick disinfectant solution after each sampling, change gloves after disinfecting up to 6 times. or when gloves are damaged to replace wearing 2 pairs of gloves and changing gloves after each sampling.
4. Staff taking samples, medical staff participating in sampling activities absolutely follow the process of wearing and taking off personal protective equipment; During the sampling process, do not perform other activities (such as eating, drinking).
The Ministry of Health said the above 4 requirements are the minimum requirements when taking samples for testing for SARS-CoV-2. Previously, many health workers fainted from exhaustion after hours of wearing protective gear to take COVID-19 test samples in the heat of summer.
