Ill-fitting face masks are putting healthcare workers at risk of contracting coronavirus, with women and Asian people most likely to be impacted, a new report says.
on Wednesday, said a standardised fit-testing procedure was needed to improve protection against COVID-19 and should form part of mandated health and safety protocols in hospitals.
"Satisfactory airborne protection will only be provided if the filtering facepiece respirators are properly fitted to the individual's face, providing a tight facial seal," said Professor Britta Von Ungern-Sternberg, from Perth Children's Hosptial, who co-authored the review. The initial fit pass rate for women was 85 per cent, compared to 95 per cent for men, one study quoted in the review found. The initial fit pass rate was also higher for Caucasians compared with Asians, with 90 per cent to 84 per cent respectively. The authors said women and Asians were underrepresented in a fit-test panel used to assess face masks in the United States, which"may explain
The correct fit was"far more important" than the material of the masks for airborne protection, Professor von Ungern-Sternberg said. Royal Australasian College of Physicians found 20 per cent of their members in public hospitals had been forced to source their own PPEMore than 3,400 healthcare workers have so far contracted coronavirus in Victoria, with 261 of those cases active as of Wednesday morning.
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