Table 2.

The difference between the various TBPs

TBP	Description	Examples	PPE
Contact	Direct contact with patient or indirect with patient's environment	Resistant bacteria, e.g. MRSA, CPE, VRE SARS-CoV-2	Gloves Apron (or gown) +/− mask +/− visor
Droplet	Spread over short distances (<2 m) via droplets (>5 μm) from the respiratory tract through coughing, sneezing and talking directly onto a mucosal surface or conjunctiva of another individual	SARS-CoV-2 Influenza RSV	Gloves Apron (or gown) FRSM IIR mask Visor
Airborne	Microorganisms in airborne droplet nuclei (<5 μm) can remain suspended in the air for long time periods and can be dispersed widely by air currents	SARS-CoV-2 Mycobacterium tuberculosis Varicella	Gloves Gown FFP3 + visor or respirator hood