- Personal protective equipment is special equipment you wear to create a barrier between you and germs. This barrier reduces the chance of touching, being exposed to, and spreading germs.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) helps prevent the spread of germs in the hospital. This can protect people and health care workers from infections.
- All hospital staff, patients, and visitors should use PPE when there will be contact with blood or other bodily fluids.
- Facemasks and N95 respirators are examples of personal protective equipment that are used to protect the wearer from liquid and airborne particles contaminating the face. They are one part of an infection-control strategy.
A facemask is a loose-fitting, disposable device that creates a physical barrier between the mouth and nose of the wearer and potential contaminants in the immediate environment. Facemasks are not to be shared and may be labeled as surgical, isolation, dental or medical procedure masks. They may come with or without a face shield.
- An N95 respirator is a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles.
- The ‘N95’ designation means that when subjected to careful testing, the respirator blocks at least 95% of very small (0.3 micron) test particles. If properly fitted, the filtration capabilities of N95 respirators exceed those of face masks. However, even a properly fitted N95 respirator does not completely eliminate the risk of illness or death.
- N95 respirators are not designed for children or people with facial hair. Because a proper fit cannot be achieved on children and people with facial hair, the N95 respirator may not provide full protection.