Table 1.
Recommendations around the use of mask/respirators to protect healthcare workers from Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
| Organization/country | Developed by/year | Type of HCWs | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHO | World Health Organization (World Health Organization, 2014d, World Health Organization, 2014e, World Health Organization, 2014f) | Hospital HCWs | Routine care - Medical masks AGPs – N95 respirators or powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs). |
| World Health Organization (World Health Organization, 2014d, World Health Organization, 2014e, World Health Organization, 2014f) | Lab workers | N95 respirators or powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs). | |
| CDC US | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) August 2014 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) | Hospital HCWs | Routine care – Medical masks Fit-tested AGPs – N95 filtering face piece respirators or higher (e.g., powered air purifying respiratory or elastomeric respirators) |
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) August 2014 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) | Lab workers | Appropriate respirators or a full body suit | |
| WHO/CDC | World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) December 1998 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization) | Hospital HCWs and Lab workers | Respirators were recommended for HCWs. Medical and cloth masks were also recommended in cases respirators were not available |
| MSF | Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) 2007 (Sterk, 2008) | Hospital HCWs and Lab workers | High Efficiency Particulate filtration (HEPA) masks |
| Australia | The Department of Health, August 2014 (The Department of Health. Australia 2014) | Hospital HCWS | Routine care – Medical masks AGPs - P2 (N95) respirators |
| Department of Health, September 2005 (The Department of Health Australia, 2014) | Lab workers | P2 (N95) respirators | |
| United Kingdom (UK) | Department of Health August 2014 (The Department of Health UK, 2014) | Hospital HCWs and Lab workers | Low possibility of VHF infection – Medical masks High possibility of VHF infection but patient does NOT have extensive bruising, active bleeding, uncontrolled diarrhoea, uncontrolled vomiting – Medical masks High possibility of VHF infection but patient does have extensive bruising, active bleeding, uncontrolled diarrhoea, uncontrolled vomiting – FFP3 respirators Confirmed VHF infection or AGPs in any situation – FFP3 respirators |
| Canada | Public Health Agency of Canada, August 2014 (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2014b) | Hospital HCWS | Medical masks; fit-tested respirators (seal-checked NIOSH approved N95 at a minimum) for AGPs |
| Public Health Agency of Canada August 2014 (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2014a) |
Lab workers | Particulate respirators (e.g., N95, or N100) or powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs) | |
| Belgium | Superior Health Council July 2014 (Superior Health Council, Belgium 2014) | Hospital HCWs and Lab workers | Patients categorized as ‘possibility of EMD – Surgical mask for routine care and FFP3 respirator or EN certified equivalent for AGPs Patients categorized as ‘high possibility’ or ‘confirmed EMD’ – FFP3 respirators |
| South Africa | Department of Health (Draft guidelines) August 2014 (Department of Health, South Africa 2014) | Hospital HCWS | Preferably N95 respirators |
CDC = Centers for Disease Control; HCW = Health Care Workers; MSF = Médecins Sans Frontières; WHO = World Health Organization.