To: | Service Leadership, Regional Coordinators, Maine EMS Board, MDPB Members |
From: | Maine EMS |
Date: | 29 June 2020 |
Topic: | Universal Masking for EMS Clinicians (Update) |
Maine EMS has made an update to the Operational Bulletin regarding Universal Masking for EMS Clinicians.
As a follow up item from our Thursday Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update, safety glasses, they type that wrap around the side of the wearer’s face, are suitable for eye protection. These safety glasses should be designed to keep fluids from splashing into the wearer’s eyes.
Below is a summary of the changes, click here for the full operational bulletin:
Please note, updates to the guidance document are italicized.
- … no matter the patient’s complaint, all EMS clinicians and crew members must don at least a surgical mask, eye protection, and gloves and require all patients, family members, and others (e.g. law enforcement officers, corrections officers, home health aides, etc.), involved in the transport, to also don a surgical mask or face covering, condition permitting.
- (if) the patient is unable or unwilling to wear the surgical mask, or the patient is in cardiac arrest, then the crew must don full aerosol PPE protections including an N95 respirator or equivalent, gloves, gown, and eye protection.
- It should also be noted that face coverings (i.e. homemade masks) must not be used in place of surgical masks within the healthcare environment for clinicians or crew members.
Maine Emergency Medical Services
152 State House Station
45 Commerce Dr, Suite 1
Augusta, Maine 04333
207-626-3860
http://www.maine.gov/ems