NHS: Protective Clothing

(asked on 8th February 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the (a) potential merits and (b) feasibility of providing FFP3 face masks to all front line NHS staff.


Answered by
Jo Churchill Portrait
Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This question was answered on 15th February 2021

The recommendations on what personal protective equipment (PPE) is required in which settings, including the use of FFP3 masks, is set out in ‘COVID-19: infection prevention and control (IPC)’, which was last updated on 21 January 2021. These recommendations are agreed by an expert group of clinicians and scientists from across the United Kingdom and are consistent with World Health Organization guidance.

Due to the identification of new COVID-19 variants, the UK Infection Prevention Control Cell conducted a comprehensive review and assessed the available evidence in order to inform any necessary changes to the guidance for health workers in England including recommended levels of PPE. Based on the evidence, they concluded that current guidance and PPE recommendations remain appropriate. Emerging evidence and data on variant strains will be continually monitored and reviewed, and the guidance amended accordingly if needed.

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