ABSTRACT
In many countries, COVID-19 has amplified the health, economic and social inequities that motivate group-based collective action. We draw upon the SIRDE/IDEAS model of social change to explore how the pandemic might have affected complex reactions to social injustices. We argue that the virus elicits widespread negative emotions which are spread contagiously through social media due to increased social isolation caused by shelter-in-place directives. When an incident occurs which highlights systemic injustices, the prevailing negative emotional climate intensifies anger at these injustices as well as other emotions, which motivates participation in protest actions despite the obvious risk. We discuss how the pandemic might shape both normative and non-normative protests, including radical violent and destructive collective actions. We also discuss how separatism is being encouraged in some countries due to a lack of effective national leadership and speculate that this is partially the result of different patterns of social identification. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Filtering facepiece respirators often fail to provide sufficient protection due to a poor fit. Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) are not designed for healthcare personnel, and are challenging to disinfect. Surgical helmets (SH) are available in many United States hospitals but do not provide respiratory protection. Several modifications to SH have been suggested, but none are sufficiently compliant with safety and efficiency standards. The purpose of this investigation was the development of a filter adaptor, which converts SHs into efficient, safe, and disinfectable PAPRs. METHODS: Four critical features were investigated close to regulatory requirements: total inward leakage of particles, CO2 concentrations, intra-helmet differential pressure, and automated disinfection. RESULTS: The average total inward leakage in the 2 independent tests were 0.005% and 0.01%. CO2 concentrations were lower than in the original SH. The modification generates a positive differential pressure. The filter's performance was not compromised after 50 cycles in a sterilization machine. DISCUSSION: The modified SH provides several hundred times better protection than FFP-3 masks. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical helmets can be modified into safe, efficient, and disinfectable PAPRs, suitable for HCP and the operating room in particular. They can play a role in the preparedness for upcoming events requiring efficient respiratory protection.
Subject(s)
Occupational Exposure , Respiratory Protective Devices , Carbon Dioxide , Head Protective Devices , Humans , Masks , Occupational Exposure/prevention & control , United StatesABSTRACT
Background and purpose - The COVID-19 pandemic caused by infection with SARS-CoV-2 has led to a global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). Various alternatives to ordinary PPE have been suggested to reduce transmission, which is primarily through droplets and aerosols. For many years orthopedic surgeons have been using surgical helmets as personal protection against blood-borne pathogens during arthroplasty surgery. We have investigated the possibility of using the Stryker Flyte surgical helmet as a respiratory protective device against airborne- and droplet-transmitted disease, since the helmet shares many features with powered air-purifying respirators.Materials and methods - Using an aerosol particle generator, we determined the filtration capacity of the Stryker Flyte helmet by placing particle counters measuring the concentrations of 0.3, 0.5, and 5 µm particles inside and outside of the helmet.Results - We found that the helmet has insufficient capacity for filtrating aerosol particles, and, for 0.3 µm sized particles, we even recorded an accumulation of particles inside the helmet.Interpretation - We conclude that the Stryker Flyte surgical helmet should not be used as a respiratory protective device when there is a risk for exposure to aerosol containing SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, in accordance with the recommendation from the manufacturer.