Maxillofacial & ENT surgeons’ new COVID-19 PPE guidance
25 March 2020 (Last updated: 4 May 2020 14:01)
New personal protective equipment (PPE) guidance from the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) and ENT UK advises surgeons on how to treat patients with emergency oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal conditions.
BAOMS Chair Patrick Magennis explained: “Some patients with these conditions, but whose COVID 19 status is unknown, might require examination or treatment including biopsy, nasoendoscopy, extraction/SR of teeth or intra-oral biopsies.
ENT UK President Nirmal Kumar said: “This is a welcome and timely acknowledgment from Public Health England (PHE) that all clinicians working in close proximity to the upper airway and face will incur some form of contact with aerosols (Aerosol Generating Procedures/AGP).
“PHE is rightly assuming that there are many asymptomatic individuals now in the community, which means that wearing full PPE is essential for any examination or procedures in all patients.”
The new guidance advises that for non-oral conditions such as head and neck skin lesions, where examination and treatment does not involve oral/nasal examination, normal COVID PPE guidance applies.
PPE AVOID, RESTRICT and ABBREVIATE
Full information about the new guidance go to the BAOMS, ENT UK and BAOS websites.
Ends
For further information and interviews contact: Siân Evans on 020 8674 8921 / 07752 414433 / or BAOMS
Notes to editors
- The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) promotes the advancement of education, research and the development of oral and maxillofacial Surgery in Great Britain, and encourages and assists postgraduate education, study and research.
- ENT UK is the professional membership body representing Ear, Nose and Throat surgery, as well as its related specialities, in the United Kingdom. We support members at every stage of their careers, from student-level right through to retirement – a total of more than 1,600 medical practitioners.
- Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGP) are procedures that stimulate coughing and promote airborne transmission.
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