COVID-19: Focus on masks and respirators – Implications for oral health-care workers
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Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The emergence of the novel human coronavirus (Severe
acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; abbreviated as:
SARS-CoV-2) generally known as COVID-19 is a global
health concern.1
On 11 February 2020, the World Health
Organization (WHO) named the novel viral pneumonia as
“Corona Virus Disease” (COVID-19). The International
Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) suggested this
novel coronavirus be named “SARS-CoV-2” due to the
phylogenetic and taxonomic analysis of this virus.2
Thus,
both terms are utilised interchangeably in the literature.
Undoubtedly, COVID-19 will change the way we practice dentistry with vast implications for Oral health-care
workers (OHCW) and practice staff. Additionally, if rigorous safety protocols are not implemented based on a
risk assessment outlined by the CDC, the dental practice
can potentially become a nexus for disease transmission
due to the high volume of aerosol production on a daily
basis. Personal protective equipment (PPE), staff training
and practice disinfection protocols have now especially
become important in the light of the current pandemic.
This is not a fight that one profession can fight alone, it
requires joint efforts, it requires all stakeholders, it requires foresight and it requires us to put the health of the
communities above all else.
Description
Keywords
World health organization (WHO), COVID-19, Oral health-care workers
Citation
Mulder, R. et al . (2020) . COVID-19: Focus on masks and respirators - Implications for oral health-care workers . South African dental journal. 75. 175-182. DOI: 10.17159/2519-0105/2020/v75no4a1.