Background
Healthcare workers (HCWs) used personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it was crucial to protecting against infection. To examine PPE’s effectiveness in preventing environmental infection among healthcare workers, a systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidance.
Methods
PubMed and Web of Science were searched from January 2019 to April 2021 using predefined search terms. Three researchers screened the articles. Approved papers were read in full and included in the review when their relevance was mutually agreed. Data were extracted by study design and PPE type.
Results
Of 108 identified studies, 47 met the inclusion criteria: seven reviews and meta-analyses, seven cohort studies, nine case-control studies, fifteen cross-sectional studies, four before-and-after studies, four case series and one modeling study. PPE use offered healthcare workers protection against COVID-19 but required appropriate training. Surgical masks provided better protection than cloth masks, while the benefits of air-purifying respirators were less clear, as were those of gowns, gloves and/or face shields used individually.
Conclusions
PPE use, especially face masks, is necessary among healthcare professionals, while training in its proper use is also important to preventing COVID-19 infection.
Source: Article sourced from: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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