COVID-19: a study of personal protection protocols for health workers

Abstract

Objective: to make a comparison between countries and between Brazilian states regarding the contents of protection protocols for COVID-19 healthcare workers and to undertake a critical analysis of the prevention model that adopts the recommendation and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as the only response to a multidimensional problem. Methods: exploratory study based on revisions available at the Cochrane Library, articulated with the analysis of the national protocols of Argentina, Brazil, China, and the United States of America and those of the states of Amazonas, Bahia, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo, all selected by convenience criteria. Results: there were differences between the recommended types of protection. Only China recommended high filtration efficiency respirators as well equipment covering the whole face for invasive procedures. Reusing the equipment is not recommended, but it was authorized in the Brazilian protocol. There was also no convergency about clothing devices. Conclusion: the results reinforce the need for revision of the protocols for the protection of health workers dealing with the COVID-19. Actions to promote institutional, inter-country and interstate debate on prevention models are essential for achieving consistency in the recommendations.