PPE Use in Healthcare: OPSEU's Rationale

When COVID-19 started, Ontario led by adopting the precautionary principle and mandating N95 masks for healthcare workers providing care to patients with potential or actual diagnosis of COVID-19. Unfortunately, that didn’t last. On March 10, 2020, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health asserted power pursuant to Section 77.7 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA) to issue Directive #1 that declared COVID-19 as droplet and contact spread and mandated using surgical masks, gloves, gowns, and eye protection for close contact with actual/probable cases and N95 masks for aerosol generating procedures.

​Supply issues exist and PPE is unevenly distributed in the system. OPSEU has demanded that the province issue a directive to distribute the available equipment to the people who are at highest risk until supplies are ramped up. At best, the research on COVID-19 is unclear. Once supply ramps up, maximum protection (such as N95s and powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) should be the standard. 

OPSEU position: Available PPE (N95 and PAPRs) to be distributed and used by the workers at highest risk until supplies are ramped up. At best, the research on COVID19 is unclear. Once supply ramps up, maximum protection should be the standard. High risk procedures include at a minimum, endotracheal intubation, including during cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, open airway suctioning, bronchoscopy (diagnostic or therapeutic), surgery and autopsy, sputum induction (diagnostic or therapeutic), non-invasive positive pressure ventilation for acute respiratory failure (CPAP, BiPAP3-5), and high flow oxygen therapy. March 22, 2020

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