Monthly Archives: July 2020

Statement from the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada

Statement July 27, 2020 - Ottawa, ON - Public Health Agency of Canada OTTAWA – In lieu of an in-person update to the media, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, issued the following statement today: “There have been 113,911 cases of COVID-19 in Canada, including 8,890 deaths. 87% of people have now recovered. Labs across Canada have tested over 3,801,000 people for COVID-19 to date. Over the past week, an average of 44,000 people were tested daily, with 1% testing positive and an average of 510 cases being reported daily from across the country.

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www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - Applying the precautionary principle to personal protective equipment (PPE) guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic: did we learn the lessons of SARS?

On 24 March 2020, the World Health Organization warned that the “chronic global shortage of personal protective gear is among the most urgent threats to virus containment efforts” in the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.1 In response, actions have been taken by agencies and institutions to conserve current supplies while attempting to procure more personal protective equipment (PPE).

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UCSF School of Medicine - Covid-19: How the Virus Gets in and How to Block It: Aerosols, Droplets, Masks, Face Shields, & More

In this Covid-19 Medical Grand Rounds (July 16, 2020), three world experts discuss a variety of issues surrounding how the coronavirus moves from person to person, how best to block viral spread, and the potential that mask-wearing may not only prevent infection but also lead to a milder clinical course. The questions regarding aerosol vs. droplet transmission and the value of wearing masks and/or face shields are central to formulating public health strategies as well as to inform the personal decisions that each of us makes every day. The session is hosted by UCSF Department of Medicine chair Bob Wachter.

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Gowns, Gowns and more Gowns!!!

A summary discussion on product selection of gowns

The routine practice of PPE selection is based on a proper risk assessment. This involves choosing the appropriate uniforms, shoes, gloves, surgical masks, respirator masks, eye protection, face shields, gowns, hair caps and shoe covers. Depending on the practice setting, this entire line up may be your ‘norm’ or it may be a new PPE shopping experience if you were not using the complete PPE spectrum in the past. As the line up of PPE expands, decisions need to be made on specific products and their performance. This is simple when the products are regulated, and with any luck, that regulation includes registration with Health Canada (or FDA for USA) or at least inclusion in a medical class device listing.

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